How Did Your Job Prepare for Magnet Status?

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

Pagandeva.......
Egads. That sounds sooooooooo much like what we were going through a year ago. No charm school though, thank gods. We were encouraged to study the forces of magnetism, and have a stock answer for each one. The "Magnet Team" would take a candy cart through on each shift and ask questions and reward us with chocolate for correct answers. (Hey, if you're gonna make me do something silly, at least feed me!) All nurses were supposed to put together a portfolio to have on hand. (I was so busy w/ orientation and just learning to be a nurse, that frankly, I didn't bother. They had my resume, it hadn't changed THAT much in 3 months.)
At least with self scheduling, I managed to schedule myself off for the entire visit!
If I remember correctly, there were certain days that we knew they were looking at having the meals with the nurses, and there were certain nurses that were "available" on that day. I really didn't get too involved with the process, really. Like I said earlier, I was a brand new nurse and more concerned with orientation and doing my job than I was with getting all rah-rah for magnet.

Oh, we had the candy deal, too. They play music and want us to shout "Magnetize Us" to the macarana...(seriously). One day, this idiot nursing administrator cut on the music for us to dance, and we stared at her like she was from Mars. In spite of the music, you can hear a pin drop. The disgust that the nurses displayed was so thick you can cut it with a knife. The hospital gave me a full time leave with pay as well as paying my tuition to become an LPN, so, of course, I am being propped to share my story. Hence, I will get no time off.

Many of us returned from this program last year when the parade just began and like you, most of us focused more on learning NURSING, not CHEERLEADING, and remained out of it, until now. The unspoken message is that you either get down with the program, or you will pay in spades at a later date. It's shameful, really, and I wonder if these nursing managers really feel good about themselves when they look in the mirror these days.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

kcalohagirl; did your hospital actually attain magnet? And, did you hear of any of the questions posed to your nursing co-workers that the surveyors actually asked?

RNDreamer · Aug 4, 2007

So....what happens when a hospital obtains magnet status? Do they get more funding? Does it benefit employees in any way? Or does it just mean that the public will view this hospital as a top choice when receiving healthcare? I don't get it... TIA!

loricatus · Aug 4, 2007

Why don't you guys get together and start talking about how you will tell the truth about high patient loads, bickering being swept under the rug, pavlovian training sessions, etc...? I think that the magnet inspectors would notice a mass layoff, if that was the response. The nurses really hold the bargaining chip right now and should use it to acheive goals that would resemble what magnet status was designed to recognize. The hospital I work at lost their status and is applying again, we are already starting to talk amongst ourselves on certain holdouts in negotiating (we are non-union). Although I don't plan on staying where I am much longer, I do find it facinating the manipulation that takes place in order to acheive recognition for something the public has no idea what it really means.

fronkey bean · Aug 4, 2007

I can give them credit; they saw that it was either a load of crock or that they simply don't have the energy to keep up with the fiasco. I am curious to hear from someone who feels that their hospital actually benefited from achieving magnet. I don't think that my hospital deserves it, quite frankly. It sounds like re-packaged information that they are not really doing, anyway. But, the joke is that they may actually get it anyway. What would disappoint me is if they did in fact, achieve it, then, business will go on as usual, because these idiots will believe that they can do anything and get what they want at the expense of intimidated nurses.:angryfire:angryfire

It sounds exactly the same to me. I watch my institution jump through hoops and crack whips every time JCAHO is due to come through and then, as soon as they have passed the inspection, they promptly stop caring any more. I can't believe it would be any different w/ magnet status.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

So....what happens when a hospital obtains magnet status? Do they get more funding? Does it benefit employees in any way? Or does it just mean that the public will view this hospital as a top choice when receiving healthcare? I don't get it... TIA!

Not sure I get it, either, but, administration is saying that insurance companies are advising their patients to get treated at a Magnet Status hospital for better outcomes. Only problem with that for me is that if these sort of hospitals are fewer in numbers and locations, it would limit the patient. Also, if too many hospitals are able to acheive magnet by B-S-ing the surveyors, then, it appears to be another junk title. It is supposed to mean that this hospital supports and will grant more nursing education, staff and better inservices, more supplies and equipment. But, not sure how it will really benefit nurses if we are forced to perform puppet acts while being resentful all the while. If we get it, I'll share with you how we benefited.

Yes, this is another question I hope gets answered here...those of you that are employed at hospitals that have magnet; did the nurses actually benefit from it? Inquiring minds want to know...

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 4, 2007

Why don't you guys get together and start talking about how you will tell the truth about high patient loads, bickering being swept under the rug, pavlovian training sessions, etc...? I think that the magnet inspectors would notice a mass layoff, if that was the response. The nurses really hold the bargaining chip right now and should use it to acheive goals that would resemble what magnet status was designed to recognize. The hospital I work at lost their status and is applying again, we are already starting to talk amongst ourselves on certain holdouts in negotiating (we are non-union). Although I don't plan on staying where I am much longer, I do find it facinating the manipulation that takes place in order to acheive recognition for something the public has no idea what it really means.

Were you employed at your facility when it achieved magnet? If so, what was the experience like when the surveyors actually arrived? Did the nurses benefit from obtaining it, and most importantly, how did your hospital lose it?

I'd like to see these talks happen, but would not initiate them. I don't trust people where I work and can see the turncoats reporting our every thought. And, I certainly agree, it is simply AMAZING to witness the manipulation and intimidation going on. I feel like I am in the twilight zone...

fronkey bean · Aug 5, 2007

Were you employed at your facility when it achieved magnet? If so, what was the experience like when the surveyors actually arrived? Did the nurses benefit from obtaining it, and most importantly, how did your hospital lose it?
I'd like to see these talks happen, but would not initiate them. I don't trust people where I work and can see the turncoats reporting our every thought. And, I certainly agree, it is simply AMAZING to witness the manipulation and intimidation going on. I feel like I am in the twilight zone...

That is what happens after years of the kind of management that usually happens on nsg units. Where favorites get what they want and the needs of many are ignored. Where inconsistant punishments are handed out at the managers whim. And where management creates situations that create rivalries so that staff is never united (b/c it might be dangerous to have your entire staff united against you). In this kind of environment some will always choose to prosper by any means and that usually means making others look bad.:trout:

loricatus · Aug 5, 2007

Were you employed at your facility when it achieved magnet? If so, what was the experience like when the surveyors actually arrived? Did the nurses benefit from obtaining it, and most importantly, how did your hospital lose it?
I'd like to see these talks happen, but would not initiate them. I don't trust people where I work and can see the turncoats reporting our every thought. And, I certainly agree, it is simply AMAZING to witness the manipulation and intimidation going on. I feel like I am in the twilight zone...

No, I wasn't employed while they were magnet status. During my interview for the position, I was told "we we the first in our system to be magnet status." Stupid me, assumed that it was current [you know the old saying concerning 'assume'-makes an a** out of U & me.] During orientation, I looked up the hospital under the magnet website and found it wasn't listed. Next day I asked the director of nursing education about it as a general question in front of all that month's new hires. After her face turned red, she gave some lame excuse why they lost it and that's when I was told about how they are currently in the process to get it back (committees and all already formed). What long timers told me is that they never even knew they were magnet status, yet alone lost it (tells a lot about how it benefitted staff). The only thing I see now is that certification pay went up from $700.00 to $1500.00 per year and a RN I, RNII, etc. clinical ladder system will be put in place (like the one at NYP) for those that join committees. Not sure if that's the type of benefit you are looking for. The reason I was given for losing it was: on recertification, they didn't show enough educational growth opportunities for staff. That initial status is easy to get; but, to be recertified, the criteria is higher.

As for initiating the negotiating process: it has been done anonymously. Typed bulletins are posted in the bathrooms, cafeteria and break rooms-initiating conversations, especially when each one is torn down and quickly replaced by someone else's. Personally, I think most of the staff has been contributing, as it seems to have turned into a passive agressive game. Worth trying it and watch the fun begin.

I'll PM you with more info.

kcalohagirl · Aug 5, 2007

kcalohagirl; did your hospital actually attain magnet? And, did you hear of any of the questions posed to your nursing co-workers that the surveyors actually asked?

We did achieve magnet. I heard the visit wasn't really that bad. Of course, I wasn't there, I scheduled myself off. *grin* From what I heard afterwards, the quetions tended to be more like, "Which of the forces of magnetism do you feel most directly applies to your practice?" type of crap. Basically, learn one of the forces. Learn how to parrot back the politically correct answer. Think of an applicable situation.

I have to say though, I'm kind of skeptical of Magnet. My hospital is pretty awesome, but I know of some others that I personally feel to be a bit sketchy that have achieved Magnet.

Is it possible that Magnet is an honor that if you are willing to pay the fee and jump through the hoops is granted?

Please, someone. Tell me I'm wrong! Does anyone know the percentage of hospitals that apply for magnet that are DENIED!

kcalohagirl · Aug 5, 2007

Have been reading through the thread and am kind of replying in order.

As far as how Magnet status has benefitted us:

Ten years ago, the hospital I work at now, I was a college student then at the state university, was CRAP!!!!!!!!! Low patient satisfaction, poor outcomes, etc. The hospital was managed by the State back then, it was not a private institution. It was known as the place in town that if a car mowed you down in the parking lot. . . . .make the ambulance drive you somewhere else. . . .

In the past 10 years, the state has relenquished control. We are a private institution. We went from having the worst nurse retention to having the best retention in the city . (there are about 15 hospitals in the metro). Satisfaction scores went from the 10th to the 99th percentile. We are now one of the top 30 cardiac hospitals in the nation, and the program is only 7 years old! (I'm a cardiac nurse, so I think that is kinda cool)

These things all happened before we were Magnet. These things happened because we privatized, and people had a vested interest in making a difference. Nurses were paid better. When you feel you are paid what you are worth (even though we all have days when a million dollars would NOT be enough to compensate us. . . .) I think we work a little harder. We don't fight staying a few minutes late or coming in for the occasional meeting (though I still fight for meetings and classes being at times that will accommodate night shift) if we know we are being compensated for it without having to gripe and moan to get things authorized. For example. My shift starts at 7pm. Supposedly, we don't get credit if we time in before 1854. Also, if we time out before 0724 in the morning, we are supposed to get docked.

On our unit, if you show up at 1845, hit the floor and are ready to take report, more power to you. Conversly, if everything hits the fan, and you don't make it off the floor until 0745 or even 0800, no one really worries about it. You don't have to justify every instance that you clock out after 0700. (of course, if it happened every day. . . .)

Basically, the hospital as a whole is a pretty darn cool place to work. My unit in particular is fabulous. I may have bad days, I may have days I really don't want to get out of bed. . .but in general, I realize how absolutely fortunate I am.

But Magnet didn't cause this to happen.

A group of people working to turn a crap hospital into a good one started the process. The rest of us are just making sure it doesn't fall back.

In my opinion, magnet is a marketing tool

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 5, 2007

What I am seeing at my hospital is a side show of dysfunctional managers suddenly trying to befriend us and make us feel we are one big happy family. They are patting us on our backs, suddenly asking about our children and personal lives (the same things that people were written up for close to a year ago because they had to take time off to deal with these issues) and basic phoniness. It is a major turn off to me.

Some of the disgruntled nurses have suddenly grown brown noses while praising these idiots for helping us to get on the road in hopes to obtain magnet status, and volunteering their co-workers' (without asking) services such as recommending some people to be magnet ambassadors (probably because they themselves didn't want to do it), preparing boards or other insane activities.

I remember hearing that one hospital lost magnet and they actually offered grief counseling to the nurses. I mean, come on!! From what I see, the shortage of nurses is so great that at times, all you need to do is show your license on a gum wrapper to get a job (at least in my area). I keep wondering how much more ridiculous this will get.