Has professionalism gone out the door ?

[faithfulhsmama, LVN]

I am returning to nursing after a 10 year hiatus. I am currently doing my refresher hours required in my state and it's been quite the experience. I feel as though professional conduct and courtesy have gone out the door. The educator at the facility I'm doing clinicals seems lazy and uninterested and makes absolutely no effort to work out a schedule. The staff overall seems friendly, but there were quite a few who seemed overworked and frustrated. I saw many patients not being tended to with filled to the brim Foley's and soiled linens and not a CNA or staff nurse anywhere to be found. When I was working before it came down to administration versus front line staff with administration always getting the better end of the deal, meaning excellent pay with little work other than keeping the higher ups happy. It still seems that way but worse. Am I crazy ? Has patient care gone downhill because of overworked staff ? Is there a shortage because nurses are getting the short end of the stick. ?

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

It would be a mistake to make such a sweeping judgement about the state of nursing based on one facility, and not a very good one at that.

If you are unhappy with the way things are there, start working on going elsewhere.

[jag nurse, RN]

You aren't crazy. Over-worked staff and understaffed hospitals plus more legal ramifications all play a part, in my opinion. I, too, have seen professionalism go away--far away in some cases--to the point that I'm embarrassed for my patients.

On 8/22/2019 at 10:01 AM, faithfulhsmama said:

I am returning to nursing after a 10 year hiatus. I am currently doing my refresher hours required in my state and it's been quite the experience. I feel as though professional conduct and courtesy have gone out the door. The educator at the facility I'm doing clinicals seems lazy and uninterested and makes absolutely no effort to work out a schedule. The staff overall seems friendly, but there were quite a few who seemed overworked and frustrated. I saw many patients not being tended to with filled to the brim Foley's and soiled linens and not a CNA or staff nurse anywhere to be found. When I was working before it came down to administration versus front line staff with administration always getting the better end of the deal, meaning excellent pay with little work other than keeping the higher ups happy. It still seems that way but worse. Am I crazy ? Has patient care gone downhill because of overworked staff ? Is there a shortage because nurses are getting the short end of the stick. ?

You aren't crazy. Over-worked staff and understaffed hospitals plus more legal ramifications in healthcare all play a part to the conundrum, in my opinion. I, too, have seen professionalism go away--far away in some cases--to the point that I'm embarrassed for my patients.