Healthcare is really business care

[Rnhenri]

I've been a little disappointed lately with the state of healthcare. When I entered nursing school years ago I knew it would be hard work. I was not at all naive about the day to day mental emotional and physical demand it takes to be a nurse because my mom is a nurse and I got to hear honest accounts of what I was in for. However I never expected for it to be run more like a business. I've been a nurse for five years now and I feel like nursing isn't what it should be. I like the actual nursing part but sometimes I feel like the ratio of patient to nurse is too high and sometimes assignments are not safe. Administration doesn't seem to care and I'm not sure of what to do.

Anyone else feeling this this way or have any advice?

nurse in despair

[Rnhenri]

I understand the need for hospitals to make money but what about the heart of nursing and what it's really supposed to be about? What about the actual care? When will nurses advocate for not only their patients...but themselves.?I would have gone to business school if I just cared about the money aspect. I don't believe in the if you can't beat them join them mentality....I would rather be part of the solution then the problem. When I see how thin nurses are being spread...to the point that they can't provide the proper care I can't help but think.... I don't want my family being treated in this manner...and if I wouldn't want it for my family then it's not right for the patients..they are people not cash cows.

maybe I'm too naive for this profession.

[Rnhenri]

Beautiful video

[Rnhenri]

May I ask what you do now rearviewmirror ?

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I understand the need for hospitals to make money but what about the heart of nursing and what it's really supposed to be about?

That's only what it's about to you. The problem is that people like you don't have enough money to build and run a hospital. You'd be broke before the site got chosen.

I do think that schools should teach more about the business aspect of healthcare instead of all this lamp-lighting, people-loving, feel-good nonsense. You're certainly not the only naive one out there.

[djh123]

Oh yes... I could write hundreds of words re: this year at the nursing home/rehab facility I work at, but let's just say they've 'used and abused' us... although to be fair - well, even this is complex - the shortage of nurses hasn't *always* been their fault (but they still could've tried to bring in prn/temp people more).

[saminaross]

I did travel nursing for 17 years out of a total is 36 years as a RN in critical care units. Every time I had to sit through general orientation and listen to the hospital's goals and mission statement I knew what I would find on the unit: unhappy burnt out nurses. Luckily I was only there for 13-26 weeks so could move on and not be infected by the unhappiness and poor morale.

[luvsltcrn]

I can see both sides of this. I've been a nurse for 20 years - some as a bedside nurse and more recently management for 5 years. I agree that nurses have too many patients to take care of and are not able to provide the care they would like to. On the other side I have seen the significant decrease in reimbursement from Medicare and in order to stay in business health care facilities have had no choice but to make cuts. It's a difficult time in health care for everyone involved.