If you could change NURSING what would you change?

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hello fellow nurses i have studied alot of these posts and i see a lot of pros/cons in our profession and i would like to know if you could change anything about nursing what would you change?

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

Indirectly related, but I'd get rid of JCAHO. Every year they come up with new schemes to keep themselves employed which negatively imparts how we do our jobs.

Makes me crazy!

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

See how negatively impacted I am? :chuckle Impacts how we do our jobs, not impart. Sorry.

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RN4NICU, I totally agree with what you are saying. I was only thunking that it would be a huge effort that would require overwhelming support both from within and outside of the profession. I especially like the suggestion about billing for services - I have a friend who has recently registered herself as a business and offers her services to hospitals and nursing homes at rates that she determines (much better than the insulting award rates in other words) - and she gets plenty of work, so I think that might be a very workable suggestion...

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:confused: They are already treated as if they are God...what more do they need? :rolleyes:

I think she meant "more respect from the doctors". This is my gripe too. These guys bombard the floor and many cannot even say hello after being greeted. Why? Because Nurses are below them. Doctors are gods! After all they float into their pants don't they? This is one of the things I really dislike about nursing in general. So many doctors are just so arrogant and above everyone. They are demanding and expect to be waited on. Thank goodness those times have changed. I use to follow doctors around and stand there waiting for their precious words and orders to flow from their god like mouths. Not any more! It is interesting how things change when a doctor is on the other end and receives nursing care after a surgery or illness.

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.
I think she meant "more respect from the doctors". This is my gripe too. These guys bombard the floor and many cannot even say hello after being greeted. Why? Because Nurses are below them. Doctors are gods! After all they float into their pants don't they? This is one of the things I really dislike about nursing in general. So many doctors are just so arrogant and above everyone. They are demanding and expect to be waited on. Thank goodness those times have changed. I use to follow doctors around and stand there waiting for their precious words and orders to flow from their god like mouths. Not any more! It is interesting how things change when a doctor is on the other end and receives nursing care after a surgery or illness.

I'm a newer nurse and also a shy person relatively, but I find the vast majority of doctors at our local teaching hospital are awesome and not condescending. The med students are VERY kind to me, always asking my advice etc. The first year residents who I often deal with are great. Listening to my concerns, down-to-earth, and always ready for input and are never bossy. They compliment me on how I treat patients and I have the utmost respect for them.

Of course there are those that consider themselves deities. Toward those I am civil but not cordial.

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Direct billing for my professional services.

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Opps I meant to say, the nurses need more respect FROM the doctors. . . . .sorry for the misprint!!!!!!!!

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Your correct. . .I meant more respect FROM the doctors.

Enjoyed your comments

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Great question...it lets us stretch our imaginations a bit! :)

I would encourage more computerized documentations, palm piolets the nurses were GIVEN by the hospital to write out their assessments, meds given, etc so that it will automatically be transfered to a data base. No more ink stains on my hands from 12 hours writing and no more threats of carpal tunnel syndrome. Some may argue this but I think a gradual progression would help us. Also have all the docs mandatorily enter progress notes and orders via computer, no more sitting around with 3 of my co-workers saying "what the heck is this?"

More options to how many hours worked per shift. Allow those who wish it to work 4 10 hours shifts or begin shift at 3pm and end at 3am and vice versa. Again, I know it exists somewhere but not nationwide availability.

I agree completely with the nurse safety and management protecting that safety, rather than playing the advocate for the patient without justification over abuse. More zero tolerance policies regarding combative/abusive patients and family members.

I'm not too sure about the unions, have heard both sides but would be interested in a choice of whether to pursue it or not.

And as always, more staff, not just bodies to fill positions, but good nurses who care most about serving the patient and providing for their families and themselves. A great salary to keep us sane on those long 12 hour shifts along with vaccation and sick days that warrant the amount of physical sickness and down-right exhaustion we encounter. Oh and day care for those who have children.

Hospitals taking care of their care takers. Not only nurses, but axillary staff who do work as hard as we do. Get rid of the slackers who don't deserve to be in this ideal job :p

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I would change nursing so that I could practice without fear and without needing to cover my a@$.

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i would change nursing so that i could practice without fear and without needing to cover my a$.

in part, that would require a change in society. our society's current "i want what i want, the way i want it - i want it right now and if i'm not happy i'll sue" mentality is what makes it necessary to chart every breath we take as well as every breath that every patient takes, so we'll have a leg to stand on in court. it is also, in my opinion, the underlying reason for the whole shift to customer service. after all, a happy patient is less likely to sue (management comes right out and says that much about their motives).

otoh, if our own boards of nursing were on our side rather than looking for an excuse to nail us, we wouldn't have to worry about whether some idiotic mandate of our employers (like floating to an unfamiliar unit and taking a full patient load) would cost us our licenses (and our livelihoods).

personally, most of my problems with nursing stem from the utter selfishness of the general population. (as someone who was not raised by wild animals, i am astounded at how rude some people are). but i would like to see regular pay increases and compensation for both education and experience (anyone else sick of seeing new grads making just $1 less per hour than a nurse with 30 years of experience??)

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furball you certainly have come up with a magnificent idea....take the ball and run with it love u

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