Hospital cancelled my contract!?!

KarenGeorgeBSRN · Feb 21, 2008

Dear Travelers!

Enjoy. The truth is I linked after posting to another topic where your topic

was posted. Found it interesting. The corporation I work for just refuses to hire

Travel nurses due to the monopoly they think exists. Staff morale is important

however, I do not pay the salaries, I tend who is there and does their work.

Overall statistics show inconsistency, higher costs, and with acute hospitals ready

to start shutting down due to costs, and sub acute LTC facilities taking up the slack

it is evident that this type of nursing will not last very long. When I encourage nurses

to be in one facility it also means to become responsible, a part of and to become

leaders in positive change. It's not all about money.

Animosity over proven fact is a known variable in poor nursing.

Karen G.

HarryHK · Feb 21, 2008

Animosity over proven fact is a known variable in poor nursing.
Karen G.

Gee Karen, we seem to be responding to your own animosity for nurses and lack of citations for your "facts". We've cited a reputable study as well as pointing out well known demographic factors. Until you substantiate your claims, ad hominem attacks are a poor substitute for a reasoned argument. OK, a poor substitute even with evidence to support your position.

loricatus · Feb 21, 2008

dear travelers!
enjoy. the truth is i linked after posting to another topic where your topic
was posted. found it interesting. the corporation i work for just refuses to hire
travel nurses due to the monopoly they think exists. staff morale is important
however, i do not pay the salaries, i tend who is there and does their work.
overall statistics show inconsistency, higher costs, and with acute hospitals ready
to start shutting down due to costs, and sub acute ltc facilities taking up the slack
it is evident that this type of nursing will not last very long. when i encourage nurses
to be in one facility it also means to become responsible, a part of and to become
leaders in positive change. it's not all about money.
animosity over proven fact is a known variable in poor nursing.
karen g.

would you please provide us with proof to lend credibility to yourself and your assertions? after researching some of your many other posts on this forum, i hypothesize (utilizing the principles of the research process) hypocracy relating to your own job permanancy, a possible hidden agenda to have acute care facilities fail & deceptive advise /manipulation regarding ltc.

jlynn325 · Feb 21, 2008

Karen,

You should stick to what you know, and that clearly is not the aspects of travel nursing. Travel nursing is not a monopoly. And before you start bringing in legal facts such as that, you need to do your research. You just cant admit that we are a valuable resource. And maybe a part of you wishes you could be as valuable as we are, as outgoing as we are and skillful as we are. Maybe part of you wants to be part of a team. But the truth is, you would never survive in our world, and since you wouldnt survive, you are against it. Since you are too scare to get to know us, you shut your heart and mind to us. It would be too much of a risk for someone like you. Someone like you, who sits in an office and never has to see the nurse (thats been in your facility for years), see her spirit break because she cant take it one more day there with that patient load or those attitudes, but whose life might have been changed by a traveler. And that nurse, may have just stayed in your facility. When staff see travelers, they think "wow, my boss cares enough about me to bring in some help when there is no one to hire."

It sad that youre so closed minded to new experiences and the true feelings of your staff. If you would listen to our stories you would find out why we first started traveling. Not always do we initial decide to travel for the experience, or because we are fed up at the job we were at, maybe because it was personal. We all have stories and a journey we are on. I feel bad that you are stuck in what we call "small town syndrome". Its not so fun being inside the box once you can be outside of it!

traumaliz · Feb 21, 2008

I spent 3 months--very long months---at onnie Ridge when I did a contract at Sinai. If there were no place left on earth I wouldn't stay there again. I grew up in a small town, but I felt like I was out in the middle of nowhere. Air conditioner never worked, despite many phone calls, maintainance men walking into the apt to do a "move out check" the week after I moved in--I was sleeping as I work nights. Not to mention the totally disgusting trash heap they maintain. PLUS--getting overcharged for utilities because they bill the whole building the same.....No thanks.

jlynn325 · Feb 21, 2008

That sounds awful...i almost took a travel assignment at Sinai...i grew up in a small town in the country (western Pa) with people who think like that lady "Karen G." thinks. I am on assignment in a small town now, its great, and nothing wrong with small towns but there is something wrong with people who think small like her and think traveling is "not a responsible choice".

kadiddle · Feb 21, 2008

Wow, Karen G.!! You have a bit of an attitude! Do you understand you made your choice and that is fine, but not everyone fits into your little mold. Now I am talking from a load of experience. My husband has been working at the same hospital for over 20 years in PICU. He has been loyal, but I can tell you right now that his loyalty has NOTHING to do with the hospital. It was the need to stay in one place to raise our children, and keep a steady flow of income. His loylalty is to his family!!!

But I can tell you now, that if we had known we could have traveled as nurses and taken our children, we would have done it in a heartbeat!!What an education for children to be able to travel all over the country. And all the different ways to get an online education now, it would have been a dream come true to have done this with our kids.

I am an LPN and worked at a pediatrician's office for 19 years. I loved it and loved the experience. However, I am back in school to get my RN and will be finished in June. Plans?? Welll...we will stick around for a few more years to help out with my father-in-law who suffers with Alzhiemer's. But when he's gone, so are we!!! We will sell our home, buy a 5th wheel and a big truck, and off we go!!! We are so excited we can hardly wait!!! What a dream to see sights, experience working in different facilities, getting a feel for the diversity of nursing throughut the country, and even internationally!

I can't believe your closed-mindedness on this matter. You need to open your horizons a bit! But, perhaps that's why you're in the administrative branch. That's obviously your cup of tea. I wouldn't do your job for all the money in the world!!!! So obviously this has nothing to do with the money. I would much rather do the hands on approach.

So lighten up!!! Be stifled if you choose to, but travel nursing, in my mind, is about as open a view as ever!!!

travelerrn · Feb 21, 2008

YOU are the kind of person who sent me to travel nursing. YOU are also the kind of person we as travelers try to avoid!!!

I am an experienced nurse of 32yrs (a bit longer than you) with my MSN and I am a Clinical Specialist.

I have always been asked to extend my contracts or come onboard as staff, but I love travel to much. I love to go to new locations, meet new folks and see different equipment.

PLEASE let all of us "worthless travelers" know where you are so we can avoid the location at all costs!!!

I for one would rather work with other travelers and felt safer with a travel nurse caring for my loved one than most of the staff at the ICU he was in.

By the way, I would love to see your research on travelers.

Here is one that supports travelers: Nursing 2007 that states, "After controlling for adequacy of staffing and resources, higher levels of temporary nurses were associated with lower levels of adverse events." The source for the article was "Aiken LH, et al, Supplemental nurse staffing in hospitals and quality of care. Journal of Nursing Administration, July/August 2007. The article appears on page 33 of the magazine.

CruisingCats · Feb 22, 2008

Ladies!!
The statistics are the proof I am not the enemy and they also prove your statements are entirely wrong. Perhaps if you took off your wings and stayed put you'd learn that you owe this to the profession; perhaps if you researched where to work, and what was offered you would get valuable training or tuition for a degree and become professional nurses. Perhaps you'd learn if you did what the majority do, stand proud for, and are safely able to practice.
For the statistics prove you wrong; research them yourselves. I would not work for a corporation that hired travel or per diem; it is my choice as a professional to benefit clients as a whole and to provide cost effective care; support for my staff who knows there is support because they are a part of a valuable team.
I never once insulted either of you; the hostility is yet another question mark; are you afraid that if you did attempt employment of a permanent nature that eager impetus to "fight" might rear it's ugly head well not for me to be concerned about, but the profession as a whole is lacking due to this. Check your agencies if you want more; it is available along with free malpractice insurance!!
Night night!
Karen G.

While you complain of hostility, frankly, your entire comment itself is remarkably hostile. "Ladies" is actually a derogatory and demeaning term, stated to put people in their place (as you see their place) and especially true since not all of your responders are women. And your statements and implications are indeed quite insulting.

Your implication that travelers are unable to hold permanent positions, either because of a lack of skill, nursing knowledge or a personality flaw, is not only hostile and demeaning, but utterly incomprehensible in view of actual practice. For example, most travelers are well-educated, extremely knowlegable and are often the most experienced nurse in their setting. Many travelers begin their travel careers after many, many years in one hospital. All travelers inevitably grow as nurses due to their wide and varied experiences in different hospital settings. Many travelers choose to expand their knowledge by working in some of the most prestigious and elite teaching hospitals, where they learn far more than the average nurse who remains in just one setting for his or her entire career.

You assume that all travelers travel for the money. Apparently, you are unaware of the truth, that money is often better at home than with traveling for a living. And, certainly, there are far fewer costs associated with being a staff nurse in a hospital versus a travel nurse. As an administrator of a hospital, of course, you do not want to hire travelers for the simple reason that they cost your hospital too much. It is not the traveler that is raking in the money, it is the travel company. Since you have no ability to dissuade the travel company from supplying travelers to your hospital though, you insult the travel nurses and attempt to demoralize them into becoming staff. Obviously, you are not Dale Carniegie since team building, winning friends and influencing people are not your strong points.

It appears that you have the belief that by denigrating travel nurses you will encourage nurses to not seek a travel position. Instead, all you have succeeded in doing is encouraging them. After all, if they are going to have to work with such narrow-minded attitudes, it is better to do so for 13 weeks, rather than a life time.

kentuckyphil · Feb 22, 2008

Nice reply Cruising Cats. Couldn't have said it better myself. Nurse Travelers as a whole represent the very best, most highly skilled nurses in the profession. We learn at each assignment and bring this knowledge to each new facility. Unfortunately, many nurse administrators stopped learning how to be better nurses the moment they abandoned patient care for their management jobs.

walk6miles · Feb 22, 2008

Dear Karen,

Initially I shook off your nasty remarks (how unhappy are you?) however, you don't know when to shut up and sit down. It's time!

You have managed to offend the majority of subscribers of this thread and I frankly don't appreciate your offensive attitude...who died and left you in charge? Enough!

You really know nothing about travel nursing and I think it's time to stop.

"Animosity over proven fact is a known variable in poor nursing" please stop - this is embarrassing!

traumaliz · Feb 22, 2008

I worked ICU a Sinai--workd my butt off. It's rare for me to not extend, but I only did one contract there. I was asked to stay, but between the outdated unit and equipment, the lousy schedules, and living at hotel hell, I was out of there. One god thing about Sinai----awesome cafeteria. Now in Greenville, NC