How messed up is this?

studentdrtobe · May 15, 2012

If it makes you feel better, physicians only get a single day, not a week. And no one ever remembers doctor's day. So, we get no recognition by the hospitals whatsoever. Maybe it's different at hospital systems, but that's how it is at mine. We do recognize nurse week though.

My opinion: If you work hard and enjoy what you do, you shouldn't need someone thanking you for choosing your profession to take pride in your work. Most jobs in this world are thankless.

studentdrtobe · May 15, 2012

Most professionals don't need recognition for what they do. This is a business deal: you're the employee, you get a paycheck, vacation or sick time or personal days, health insurance, free parking or paid parking, a uniform allowance, or whatever you negotiated when you were hired, or renegotiated later. The hospital or office's side of the deal is this: they expect you to function in a certain capacity, fulfilling certain duties and doing so professionally.
Employee appreciation days seem not only unprofessional, but condescending and patronizing. It's like getting a sticker glued to your forehead, a pat on the head, while being told 'good job!'. Nurses organizations and individual nurses have been fighting for higher status for years; expecting 'appreciation week' undermines those efforts that nurses be seen and treated as professionals. Do we have Surgeon Appreciation Day? National Lawyer's Week? National Accountant's Day? Most members of those professions would be insulted by the suggestion (or at least amused).
Throughout the years, I've seen these appreciation days and weeks from both sides. Those being honored never seem to be satisfied; those doing the honoring try to make the staff happy within their budgetary constraints. It may be only 5% or 20% of the staff who complain, but they do so loudly. "My friend works at.... and THEY get free manicures!"... "We used to get a free lunch, but now we only get a card!" This does not fall on deaf ears of those who provided the perks for the day or week.
It also causes resentment with other staff members. And, exactly who is a 'nurse'? Does that include the NP? the CNA? or just the RNs? And, what about all the volunteers who sacrifice their time, money for parking and meals, and show up religiously without complaint? Are they appreciated?
There are three issues: It's not professional. No matter what management does, it's not good enough. And, the rest of the staff often feels ignored.

One of most eloquently written posts I've seen and one I completely agree with. We're all adults here and professionals. We don't need someone to keep patting us on the back and telling us we did a good job to know that we're doing a good job. You shouldn't need someone to validate what you do in order to feel good about it.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · May 15, 2012

Let me tell you what my hospital did for us for nurses week. They had hotdogs, sodas, ice cream, and chips for us, but we had to PAY for them!! What type of appreciation is that?!

At our facility, we had vendors set up to sell things one day, then we had poster presentations for different units the next day. For the grand finale, we were all invited to a buffet dinner at a swanky hotel. We were encouraged to RSVP to this grand event. At the bottom of the invitation (in fine print) was an alert that informed us that the cost of attending the buffet was $55. Oh, and it's cash bar only.

No thanks.

I agree wholeheartedly with what Patti_RN posted. We are professionals, and although it is nice to be recognized for a job well done, I would MUCH rather administration use the money allocated for Nurses Week to give each unit some much needed supplies/equipment/more staff.

I realize that my main focus in life is efficiency, and perhaps that is why I feel so strongly about this. I have voiced over and over again that the Nurses Week celebrations at my facility are largely lost on the very nurses its meant to celebrate: they cannot leave the unit long enough to enjoy the events. Managers can, administration can, all of the VPs can, but the nurses have a hard time simply getting an uninterrupted lunch break on the unit.

I can celebrate my accomplishments with my friends, my family and my husband. When I am at work, what I value most is having the tools I need to succeed in the workplace. If my NM gave my unit new computers/updated software/new equipment for Nurses Week, I would be OVERJOYED! To me, that is recognizing how hard I work-give me better tools, and I will show you an appreciative nurse!

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 16, 2012

let me tell you what my hospital did for us for nurses week. they had hotdogs, sodas, ice cream, and chips for us, but we had to pay for them!! what type of appreciation is that?!

are you kidding me! i heard some bad stories here but this one kicked the bucket... :banghead:unquestionably, your facility needs to double check who is performing patient care.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 16, 2012

at our facility, we had vendors set up to sell things one day, then we had poster presentations for different units the next day. for the grand finale, we were all invited to a buffet dinner at a swanky hotel. we were encouraged to rsvp to this grand event. at the bottom of the invitation (in fine print) was an alert that informed us that the cost of attending the buffet was $55. oh, and it's cash bar only.
no thanks.

needless to say, i'm in management, and i took it upon myself to celebrate our nurses week, which out did the so called hospital week by a long shot; as a matter of fact after their first day of hospital celebration the entire administration shut it down on account that no one came to celebrate with them. what i'm reading is a total shame on some of these facilities mentioned in this post, i need to leave this post before i hit the roof. i have one question to all of these so called facilities or hospitals, since they decided to celebrate hospital week, and ignore their nurses how about all of the nurses leave and see who takes care of the patients! :cool:

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · May 16, 2012

I have been a nurse for 30 years. The company I currently work at ( a huge insurance company).. put up signs expounding how special nurses are. We are now grouped into Employee Appreciation Week.

Last year.. working for a huge medical center.. I got a plastic change purse thingie with the hospital logo.

Another insult to our profession, we don't even get Nurses week anymore.

I would love to have the CEO have an emergent event and appreciate the housekeeper.. janitor.. clerical worker that jumped on their chest!

K+MgSO4, BSN · May 16, 2012

Most professionals don't need recognition for what they do. This is a business deal: you're the employee, you get a paycheck, vacation or sick time or personal days, health insurance, free parking or paid parking, a uniform allowance, or whatever you negotiated when you were hired, or renegotiated later. The hospital or office's side of the deal is this: they expect you to function in a certain capacity, fulfilling certain duties and doing so professionally.
Employee appreciation days seem not only unprofessional, but condescending and patronizing. It's like getting a sticker glued to your forehead, a pat on the head, while being told 'good job!'. Nurses organizations and individual nurses have been fighting for higher status for years; expecting 'appreciation week' undermines those efforts that nurses be seen and treated as professionals. Do we have Surgeon Appreciation Day? National Lawyer's Week? National Accountant's Day? Most members of those professions would be insulted by the suggestion (or at least amused).
Throughout the years, I've seen these appreciation days and weeks from both sides. Those being honored never seem to be satisfied; those doing the honoring try to make the staff happy within their budgetary constraints. It may be only 5% or 20% of the staff who complain, but they do so loudly. "My friend works at.... and THEY get free manicures!"... "We used to get a free lunch, but now we only get a card!" This does not fall on deaf ears of those who provided the perks for the day or week.
It also causes resentment with other staff members. And, exactly who is a 'nurse'? Does that include the NP? the CNA? or just the RNs? And, what about all the volunteers who sacrifice their time, money for parking and meals, and show up religiously without complaint? Are they appreciated?
There are three issues: It's not professional. No matter what management does, it's not good enough. And, the rest of the staff often feels ignored.

This!

Nurses week seems to be a trite thing that is only celebrated in the US. I never heard of it until I joined AN. it is not celebrated in UK, Ireland Australia or NZ

sjt9721, BSN, RN · May 16, 2012

If it makes you feel better, physicians only get a single day, not a week. And no one ever remembers doctor's day...QUOTE]
I can't help but remember --- I have to share my birthday with it!

umcRN, BSN, RN · May 16, 2012

we got diddly-squat. So on my unit we threw our own party, cooked for ourselves, bought food, paid to celebrate ourselves basically. Sad :-(

katsanchezRN · May 16, 2012

I am a NM and I worked hard to plan a nice luncheon and have a nice gift and hand wrote out individual cards for each of my nurses. I was very hurt that 2 nurses other than the 3 that were already there working showed up. I even took the floor so my nurses who were working could eat uninterrupted. I didn't even get a thank you. BUT I did get to hear the complaints about it afterwards. I tried.

wooh, BSN, RN · May 16, 2012

housekeeping, cna's, maintenace...all expressed, "what about us?"
to keep all placated, i believe many employers are purposely recognizing all employees.

And, what about all the volunteers who sacrifice their time, money for parking and meals, and show up religiously without complaint? Are they appreciated?

We actually do celebrate a volunteer week. An RT week. A child life day, on which they all leave the hospital for a retreat. Housekeeping week. Social work week. Doctor Day is a HUGE deal. Everyone else DOES get their weeks/days whatever at my facility. It's only nurses that have to share. Just like work. It's only nurses that have to do everyone else's job when they don't want to do it. Anyone in the hospital complains about anything, screw over the nurses to solve it.

Staragate, ADN, ASN, RN · May 16, 2012

We have a convention in Tucson that is held at a very popular resort. 50 nurses citywide get honored... and not just from the big hospitals. It involves a 2 day celebration... a conference day with breakout sessions and a fancy lunch/dinner and a gala. As a student, I got to go and volunteer. It made for a nice networking opportunity and I was really interested in the seminars. Everybody there got 7.5 hours of CEUs.

Tucson Nurses Week Foundation