What is the ONE thing that will attract new/experienced nurses back to staff nursing?

suenurse54 · Nov 16, 2002

I am now taking a refresher course to get my license activated again. My own original reason for coming back is for the money. My son just started college and my daughter will be going next year. My other reasons are boredom and the need for intellectual stimulation (don't get much of that talking to the cat).

On my last job, the conditions were as good as they could be. We had a ratio of 4-5:1, good pay, friendly supportive management, and people willing to work "weekend shift" so I didn't ever work weekends. This was a fairly new hospital in Hawaii in 1992. I doubt they could continue these good things for long if the "botton line " becomes important.

Wouldn't it be nice if all these things could be legislated?

Sue

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Nov 16, 2002

Management is not the problem. The DON is behind us. It is the doctors that must have total control.....of how the VS are charted, of how the labs are put away, of how the options are portrayed to the patients......I am ready to leave if I cannot advocate for my patients!

sjoe · Nov 16, 2002

Cee--Your DON IS the problem, since she/he does not seem to be sticking up for nurses and protecting your turf, from the docs or anyone else.

Sue--all I can say is that you are in for some very BIG surprises. I, too, remember how it used to be in 1992 (and how it used to be in Hawaii in 1993). "The good old days."

Good luck.

kmchugh · Nov 16, 2002

I think the one thing that will bring more nurses back into the field, and will attract more new nurses is respect. You see, if nurses are respected, then other things happen.

When an employer respects an employee, they value their work. They want to keep that employee. Therefore, they pay that employee a respectable salary, and provide respectable benefits.

In the same vein, an employer who values an employee's work ensures that they don't work that employee so hard they burn out in a year or two. An employer who respects nurses will recognize that even the most competent, able nurse has limits:

-Respected nurses will be given assignments where the staffing ratio is reasonable.

-Respected nurses will not be expected to have complete knowledge of all areas. Hence, they will stop floating nurses to areas that are completely outside of their professional expertise (i.e. labor and delivery nurses to SICU, which I have seen happen.)

-An employer who respects nurses will recognize the toll our career takes on us physically and emotionally. Nurses will no longer have to selectively answer the phone on off days, because an employer who respects nurses will only call for help in time of crisis, and if the nurse refuses, the employer will respect that refusal. Guilt trips are not laid on respected employees.

Respected employees have valuable input. Therefore, nurses opinion will be sought out, and acted upon in both the day to day operations, as well as the big decisions that hospitals face.

When nurses are respected, physicians will no longer bully, be condescending, or pick on nurses. You just don't do that to people you respect. And the few who try to continue that behavior will get stomped on by other physicians and hospital management.

So, to my simple mind, the one thing the nursing profession needs is respect. Everything else will follow.

Kevin McHugh

Sleepyeyes · Nov 16, 2002

I chose MONEY because in our culture today, MONEY = RESPECT & POWER.

I noticed that historically, in most labor disputes, if the workers were able to get the money, the other stuff usually hotfooted after.

Therefore, if we just stick to wanting more money, we'll probably get the rest of the stuff easier. Just a strategy that nurses have NEVER considered, but one that seems to work well for other labor groups.

renerian, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2002

Yes better ratios

renerian

chartleypj · Nov 16, 2002

>So, to my simple mind, the one thing the nursing profession needs is respect. Everything else will follow.>

Very well said, Kevin!

The sad irony is, the persons needing to read these posts and understand how nurses feel about their profession are too busy trying to make their facilities look 'good on the outside' for JCAHO, the Dept. of Health or some other regulating organization.

If they had been listening for the past 20 years, would we be in the position we are today?

Paula

mattsmom81 · Nov 19, 2002

Wow..just ONE thing? I guess I would have to lump several together and say a 'nurse friendly zone of practice'.

That would include improved staffing ratios, and REAL bedside nurses' input into decision making and governance. It would also include a real dedication by docs and pharmacy and management to make our workplace a safer one that is conducive to good morale and and satisfaction in a job well done.

Some hospitals CLAIM to have the above but it's just lip service, in my experience.

Nurse Nevada, RN · Nov 19, 2002

Hello all, I believe it has to do with ratios and stress. Burnout!

I am the one who started the petition in Nevada. Even if you're not from this state, I'd appreciate your signatures. Who says we can't try to change it at a National level? If anyone is interested in how to start a petition in your own state, you can contact me at: [email protected]

I sent an email to the members of the Nevada Nursing Association telling them of my intentions to start a petition and put it on a website. They contacted me and are giving me their support. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling. Fortunately I've learned how to build web sites and was able to do it with minimal cost. There are other ways to get it done. The nursing agency's are all supportive and are handing out pieces of paper (business card size) with the address of the website to sign the petition. I also says on the paper "pass it on." Nurses are giving the paper to their co-workers. This is just the beginning. We need to stand up for ourselves and the safety of the public. People are dying because of unsafe nursing conditions and the public is unaware of it. As nurses, it's our responsibility to bring it to their awareness. I expect the media will be jumping all over this soon, as the word gets out. Dr's are leaving the state because of the high cost of malpractice insurance and a lot of it is being covered by the media.

I can hardly believe how supportive everyone is being. I didn't think I'd get that much support. In fact, the first person I spoke to about the idea (a city councel person in Minnesota) tried to discourage me from doing it because of the shortage. I believe this issue is contributing to the shortage. Hospitals want to show profits as every business does. Cutting staff is one way of achieving it. But when they are using profits to build beautiful new hospitals and not paying attention to causes of shortages it hurts everyone.

Please help me make a change.

Thank you to the person who started this thread!

Dianne Moore, RN

Nursing Nevada