While I fully realize and mourn the enormous degree of loss, devastation, and tragedy that Covid has brought, I do see one positive beginning to emerge for many nurses.
When I became an RN in 1992, it was at the height of the nursing shortage and nurses everywhere could literally dictate the terms of their employment; pay, working wherever/whenever they chose, and as much or as little. Fast forward to today; hospitals in my geographical area (West Coast, large metropolitan area) are hemorrhaging nurses who are quitting permanent positions; 1) To travel or, 2) Because they do not want to contract Covid and possibly infect family members (especially young children) or, 3) Even more dangerous and unrealistic nurse/patient ratios and demands or, 4) A refusal to comply with vaccine mandates for health care workers. I'm now noticing that these same facilities are offering never before heard of sign-on bonuses ($15,000-20,000), retention bonuses, and perks, as well as all time high travel pay packages ($5,000-6,000/week net).
On a personal note, I requested a lesser FTE at my job and my NM didn't balk as I anticipated and which he has done before. I see administrators and managers scrambling and starting to sweat as nurses suddenly gain back lost ground and are beginning to have currency and autonomy that they haven't had in a very long time. This supply and demand shortage seems to be putting us in the driver's seat for a change. Do you agree/disagree? What are your thoughts and observations in your area?
...or scabs if nurses get it together enough to go on strike.
This is just it. Except for pockets of unionized hospitals around the country, nurses are really without a voice (ANA, not) or any real currency. Many nurses are single parents and simply can't afford to be without a paycheck for an extended period of time and employers know this.
I work at the VA and we are the only hospital in the city not offering premium pay/incentive pay. We keep hearing about how critically short we are yet the higher ups offer nothing other than "OT" but they have the money to pay $95/hr and $120/hr for mediocre travel nurses (that's about as kind as I can be).
I was just talking to some co-workers about this and going forward something has to change. The previous model won't work. Nurses won't leave travel nursing, even when the pay rates normalize again, to come back to the hospital for low pay and being abused by management and administrators.
Nursing is the only profession where I am responsible for someone's screw up who went through more schooling and makes significantly more money than I do (doctors, pharmacists, etc). If you want me to babysit and hold their hands, then we need to re-negotiate my compensation. If not, then you need to take away some of these responsibilities laid on me but it can't be both.
Jedrnurse, BSN, RN
2,776 Posts
...or scabs if nurses get it together enough to go on strike.