I should be grateful to have a job,but

JB2007, ASN, RN · Nov 17, 2010

Yes in many ways I do feel like I have a target on my back. At the LTC facility that I work for it is either like it or leave it. "We have many nurses who would LOVE to have your job." Kind of funny that they have all of these nurses wanting jobs, but they have nurses that are forced to work doubles because there was a call in and nobody to replace them.

They have also been fireing nurses that have many years of experience at our facility for no reason that anyone can see. Coworkers turning on coworkers. It has been just lovely where I work also. If this crap keeps up I am going to have to go get back on some antianxiety meds again.

dzadzey, MSN, RN · Nov 17, 2010

I work for a large healthcare organization run by grossly overpaid executives, and our more of the costs of our health insurance has been shifted onto staff. They are eliminating incentive and crisis pay. I would be more willing to believe the poor mouthing of the system's administration if the CEO wasn't pulling down a seven figure salary.

steelydanfan · Nov 17, 2010

Does anyone else feel like they are wearing a target on their back? It seems to me that after so many years of nursing shortages in which admin had to work WITH us and not against us ( being flexible with our schedules,etc) the pendulum has swung the other way. The economy tanked and admin are almost gleeful at the ways they can now make us suffer. I know I have been spoiled because I don't work in a for- profit facility and have had great bennies but it's happening everywhere around here.
For several years our admin has accomodated staff with flexible hours. Suddenly all were told they had 30 days to "make other arrangements " and then their schedule would revert to the proper shift time. No more uniform allowance. No raise this year. Changes in pension plan and insurance plans.
No we are hearing about "changes in the New Year" No more unit charge nurses-they are cutting down staffing on each unit- both nurses and cna's. Nurses may be laid off unless they can force a few into retirement. BUT-we are getting "unit managers" ANOTHER layer of mid level management. HOW does THAT save money? Charge nurses have NEVER gotten extra pay for their suffering and many have been lpn's.Now with the changes in health care we have more rn's then ever before. Looks like a nice perc for them and a slap in the face for those of us who have been there for years. One weekend a month, more $$$$ and no floor duties.I can't wait to see the complete job description.I just can't see how this will be a positive change but I sure am going to embrace it-or at least they'll think I have. After all-I'M GLAD I HAVE A JOB!

I love it when I complain about something and the reply from the manager is "weel, we should all be grateful we have jobs"! Yeah, right, try to run this hospital without me, and my fellow nurses. It's one more management tactic to try to get you to shut up.

How many times do I have to say it? Call National Nurses United, find out how to organize your hospital and do some research into EXACTLY how your hospital is violating not only state but Federal employment laws. STUDY your states nurse practice act, and then UPHOLD it. Though it seems in your case this might be a RN/LPN territorial argument. In which case, if they want to hire RN's and phase out LPN's, they have the perfect right to do that, and there is not much you can say.

RoseanneMartin · Nov 17, 2010

My husband works for a company that provides hospitals with revenue generating services. He tells me that its a very difficult time for many hospitals. From what I've seen, all the hospitals closing down around me is evidence of that.

The govt. isnt reimbursing all the costs that medicare/medicaid patients cost the hospital, the uninsured being serviced in the ER takes away revenue, medical coding isnt always the best so reimbursement is screwed up, insurance companies deny claims they shouldnt so the hospital eats the bill, etc.

I'm not going to sit here and say it isnt greed or that the CEO has to show the board that the hospital is profitable...I really dont know. All I know is that its a turbulent time and we thought medicine was safe from the effects of recession or govt. so its a scary thing.

Also, to top it off, everyone has been crying 'nurse shortage' for years, and now markets are saturated with RNs. Its an employer's advantage. I say, get a specialty if you can handle more school!

I'm a nursing student and I'm just bracing to be treated like a number until I can get a specialty or start my own business. I hate it that nurses can be underappreciated b/c of the value of the person and job, but after all this reading, I'm finding that it seems like that

HonestRN · Nov 17, 2010

eh hospitals are not hurting nearly as bad as you think or they claim. Not for profits are making money hand over fist.

On Top of Tax Breaks, Nonprofit Hospitals Reap Big Profits - Health Blog - WSJ

You can also check out Crains List to see year over year profit increases. Last I looked (yesterday) they are still making profits and even greater profits than last year. Granted not all are but a lot are making huge money. Don't let them bs you.

It boils down to the fact that there is a glut of RN's and hospitals can be stingy now

My husband works for a company that provides hospitals with revenue generating services. He tells me that its a very difficult time for many hospitals. From what I've seen, all the hospitals closing down around me is evidence of that.
The govt. isnt reimbursing all the costs that medicare/medicaid patients cost the hospital, the uninsured being serviced in the ER takes away revenue, medical coding isnt always the best so reimbursement is screwed up, insurance companies deny claims they shouldnt so the hospital eats the bill, etc.
I'm not going to sit here and say it isnt greed or that the CEO has to show the board that the hospital is profitable...I really dont know. All I know is that its a turbulent time and we thought medicine was safe from the effects of recession or govt. so its a scary thing.
Also, to top it off, everyone has been crying 'nurse shortage' for years, and now markets are saturated with RNs. Its an employer's advantage. I say, get a specialty if you can handle more school!
I'm a nursing student and I'm just bracing to be treated like a number until I can get a specialty or start my own business. I hate it that nurses can be underappreciated b/c of the value of the person and job, but after all this reading, I'm finding that it seems like that

RNKITTY04 · Nov 17, 2010

Yea I agree the non profits are making boat loads of money, we get regular bonus checks > $500.00 a pop, we staff I'd say approx 40% agency and now they are making mandatory uniforms which they are paying for, All of this is just HUGE tax write offs. I have been in health care over 25 years and have never seen anything like this, UNREAL.

ktwlpn, LPN · Nov 18, 2010

It's tough to keep up morale when you don't know if you'll have a job next month.I have been laid off before and it's not fun. People have a habit of saying "O,don't worry-nothing you can do" etc- and that really does not help either.The bad dreams ( very creey Freudian ) nausea and anxiety are ever present for many of us.

Business is business but many of us tend to personalize this issue. Can't help feeling let down-years of being dependable, getting very good to excellent evals and garnering a rep as a team player may not help me at all.

Even the Medical Director has said to me that he knows who has clinical skills he can trust and who does not and he wonders how they end up where they are. Maybe I am feeling a little "territorial" as someone mentioned. I have worked in many settings through the years and never had a problem with the LPN vs.RN thing because I just do my job to the best of my ability .They soon see that I am more then capable and soon become a good resource person to them. Unfortunantly at this time our current crop of "newbies" all seem to have attitudes and it's hard to deal with so many at once especially when they all seem to have honed their skills of talking down to peers with artful put -downs that are right on the line of being un-professional. No way can anyone call this to the attention of the DON because then we'll all be accused of being "territorial" or whatever you want to call it.

And we lost our tuition reimbursment months ago.Also there is not a single job in my local paper this week.Hasn't been for over a month.

CloudySue · Nov 19, 2010

And we lost our tuition reimbursment months ago.

Hmmm, so did we. I worked for $9.50 for two years in the activity department while in nursing school, all the while being promised by HR to receive loan reimbursement up to $100/month. The VERY month I turned in my first repayment bill, I was told by the newish HR manager, "Oh, they just discontinued that this month." I took it all the way to the corporate office, claiming that it had been promised to me and I should be grandfathered in. Theu nixed my appeal , saying in effect, "Well, you got nothing in writing from HR about it, and since we also offer 'as-you-go' tuition reimbursement, you should have taken that instead." So I finished my year of experience there and start F/T home health care next month. I got great evals and was well-liked by management, but no one tried to talk me out of leaving. Everyone's replaceable.

ktwlpn, LPN · Nov 19, 2010

Ouch! Glad you found another job.Several of us have been looking for some time with no luck.It's scary out there.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

I hear you.

KTW, I lasted one year as an LPN because I hated the way we were viewed. In my first month workling in a clinical setting as an RN I became a unit manager. The layer of middle management is necessary simply because of the documentation requirements and NPAs of many states - and I became an RN because it was clear that every door except LTC floor was closed to me as an LPN.

I will say that I am astonished at how badly health care employees are treated, in every place I've ever worked.

Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN · Nov 19, 2010

I hear you.
KTW, I lasted one year as an LPN because I hated the way we were viewed. In my first month workling in a clinical setting as an RN I became a unit manager. The layer of middle management is necessary simply because of the documentation requirements and NPAs of many states - and I became an RN because it was clear that every door except LTC floor was closed to me as an LPN.
I will say that I am astonished at how badly health care employees are treated, in every place I've ever worked.

Thats why I'm going back to school. Don't get me wrong I love being an LPN as far as patient care goes, but when it comes to treatment by administration and supervisors, I feel everytime I blink they have a new rule, paper, or thing for me to do.. ON TOP OF.. meds, treatments, fingersticks, CNA assignments, MD calls, new orders from the MDs, charting, admissions if we have them(we had 2 last night and i was the charge nurse), and etc etc etc..

Things could be alot worse where I work. But this cannot be the same ball of wax in every category of nursing.

I don't see myself being a RN in LTC. I don't feel my supervisory skills(although I feel myself getting stronger) are strong enough.