In all my years of working in healthcare (almost 40), I have never seen anything more insulting and pathetic. I hope Kaiser gets publicly flogged for this.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I think getting nothing is better than this (which is exactly what we got). Somehow it seems much less insulting to get nothing than to get crap like this. Less hypocrital.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
On 5/10/2021 at 3:19 PM, AutumnLeaves said:
At the hospital that I am leaving, they give a rock to someone every month and call it "the rock solid award". Have done so for years. It's the same rock, it just gets passed back and forth.
Years ago, while bicycling the country roads, an old farmer and his son stopped in their pickup to chew the fat. At one point, I said something positive about the old farmer, so he turns to his son and says, "Rog, give the man a dollar!"
At Wrongway Regional Medical Center, whenever a nurse or tech did something worthy of being commended, I would give them a dollar. Some thanked me for the questure and wouldn't accept the dollar, while others laughed and took it.
For a time, one particular dollar was passed on in goodwill to others and marked with the initials of the presenter/recipient.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
1 hour ago, Davey Do said:
Years ago, while bicycling the country roads, an old farmer and his son stopped in their pickup to chew the fat. At one point, I said something positive about the old farmer, so he turns to his son and says, "Rog, give the man a dollar!"
At Wrongway Regional Medical Center, whenever a nurse or tech did something worthy of being commended, I would give them a dollar. Some thanked me for the questure and wouldn't accept the dollar, while others laughed and took it.
For a time, one particular dollar was passed on in goodwill to others and marked with the initials of the presenter/recipient.
That's a novel idea. When I worked med-surg I used to keep little gifts in my locker to give to coworkers who'd had a particularly bad shift. This would include an unexpected demise, being slimed by a manager, etc. I don't know if it made anyone feel better, but no one turned it down.
Makes you almost nostalgic for the pony rides and the little red wagon full of mini hershey bars with a sign One only please, thank you. Oh, and the cool backpacks that even housekeeping and the kitchen staff get honoring them for Nurses' Day.
Just a patient—Geez what a crappy gift! They couldn’t even Spring for Rock Candy at least you can eat that. After I was discharged I would almost always come back in a week or so later with food (pizzas, chocolate candy, soda) and a thank you card for the unit, to show appreciation for the care they provided. It felt so good to give a little something to the people that helped me. (often going above and beyond for me) They were always excited to get it. It’s a shame hospitals don’t want to open the purse strings a bit and show some appreciation to whom REALLY RUNS the hospital. Always remember you have patients who appreciate the work you do!
At least you got something! We got an email. The past 2 years, no, 3 years, our healthcare system hasn’t done anything so our office manager has bought us a bag of candy or something along those lines. Oh, and the same email thanking us for nurse’s week ALSO included “Happy Healthcare Worker Week!”
And it’s not “just” a rock, clearly states it’s an ‘encouragement stone’. LOL.
Welp...Nurses Week is, mercifully over. Nurses everywhere got cheap trinkets, mediocre food and cheap sentiment from hospital administration. Hospital administrators got lots of opportunities to lavish nurses with empty praise and mawkish sentiment. And they will chuckle quietly amongst themselves as, once again, nurses shrugged and kept on keeping on, and the administrator’s year end bonuses will reflect how cheaply they got off...once again...with Nurses Week. And not a word will they hear from nurses about the indignity that was inflicted on them...yet again.
But. it doesn't have to this way. It's past time...especially after this last year...long past time, for nurses to demand the respect we deserve from hospital administration. We are professionals, dedicated to caring for those in our charge safely, effectively and compassionately. We are NOT interchangeable, replaceable parts in the machine that is healthcare in America.
As I have noted before, however, too many nurses will simply soldier on, ignoring the indignations, great and small, heaped upon them by bean-counters and penny pinchers more intent on the bottom line than patient care...or those who care for them. But unless we take care of ourselves we will, in the end, not be able to safely, effectively and compassionately care for those in our charge.
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SmilingBluEyes
20,964 Posts
I think getting nothing is better than this (which is exactly what we got). Somehow it seems much less insulting to get nothing than to get crap like this. Less hypocrital.