I am in my final pre-req. and plan on applying to RN program this fall. I am male, single and making a career change.
Why do nurses (non-union states) allow the poor work environment, no breaks, no lunch, etc. situation to continue? Isn't there enough of us to do something about it? Has anyone contacted their state legislator, senator to propose a bill to mandate better working conditions for nurses? If it's a problem and detrimental to the patients health, shouldn't we speak up?
I don't understand your hostility. I only brought up the fact that so many of the posts/nurses COMPLAIN about the work environment. It's coming from within... not from the public.
I can answer your question: The posters hostility comes from your ignorance and bad attitude combination. Its fine to ask the question but politely.You however asked in very negative demeaning way.
To inform you ...yes there certainly are nurse lobbyists on the state and federal levels. Nursing organizations and other healthcare interest groups have lobbyist defending the nursing profession. The media and public view of nurses is a sad one. The public knows us for our caring and not for our knowledge. ( YOU my friend will learn in nursing school that it is A LOT of knowledge and you have to be VERY smart to not only pass school/boards/keep a job or to even get a job! ) The media shows nurses as a bedpan emptying big boobed females looking to marry a doctor. ( If there are even nurses on the show!!! When was the last time anyone has seen a doc starting an IV or a drip??)
There are lots of nurses trying to change the nursing for the better and once you open your eyes and do some reading you will see there is a LOT of opposition for nurses to overcome (the negative images listed above, hospitals, MD's, the AMA, and sometimes even ourselves)
My point again is there are lots and lots of nurses trying to make things better. In fact I am one of those nurses....I plan on getting my phD in HealthPolicy and it is my personal goal to change nursing for the better. I want to and hope to make our nursing organizations as big and powerful as the AMA so we can finally get the respect and the voice we deserve.
Ok I think ive ranted enough today................:spbox:
Excellent reply..and I applaud you for your attitude and desire to have a positive impact on the profession for change. I think you see where I'm coming from in regards to this poster. It's clear he doesn't know much about the profession yet but finds it necessary to comment on things he doesn't have a full understanding of. Maybe I'm too passionate but I find that kind of attitude frustrating and actually a huge part of the problem. It's all about perception and it's clear he doesn't see all the external influences that play into the problem. Hopefully, one day we can make the necessary changes to this profession so we can not have to deal with such issues..I just don't know if it will actually take place in my lifetime.
I live in a" right to work" state. Simply put, they have the right to hire you for any reason, and the right to fire you without reason. When you basically have no rights as an employee, your options are pretty limited. Every 5 years or so, they trump up some reason to fire nurses that are reaching retirement age. This accomplishes two goals. They boot you from your retirement benefits, and they can replace you with two new grads at base scale for your topped out pay rate.
I work in Texas, and the majority of the nurses with whom I've worked are fiercely opposed to unionization. They'd rather go through the motions without any protection or improvement in working conditions. Many, if not most, of the nurses who work in Southern states would oppose union representation if offered to them right now. It is deeply ingrained in their working culture.
I am originally from California and am shocked to see the lack of progressiveness in the workplace cultures around here.
I found this issue quite surprising when I worked in the South. Yes, it is ingrained in working culture. And what is sad is how tight a grip the hospital administrators have on the profession. Nurses have been threatened for so long they are afraid to take a stand. Our profession attracts many who are single parents who can't afford to lose their jobs. Hospital administrators have no qualms letting it be known if a union is brought in, they will start cutting positions. When I worked at Duke a few years back, the nurses there were voting on implementing a union. The turmoil caused by the administration made the vote very close but ultimately it was voted down. The fear was too great and that's actually easy to understand. And it's sad. I've never seen such poor pay and lack of respect for the profession as I did in the South.
I had physicians who actually got up in arms if I questioned an order...or if I made suggestions. And most of the time, they'd then turn around and do what I suggested anyway. Hmmm...maybe my brain was supposed to melt when I went down there. I actually had a nurse who was precepting me tell me "we don't ever suggest things to physicians". Talk about a God complex!!!!How can you be a patient advocate if you can't question an order???? Confusing.
And lack of pay in the South is also another issue affecting the profession. I took a huge paycut when I moved to NC. I was given some song and dance about lower cost of living but I don't believe that. I personally believe it's lack of respect for the profession. But I digress.
for the past 100 years, ana has been advocating at the national level on federal government affairs for issues that affect entire counry, leaving each individual state assocaition to handle legislation at the state level, especially practice act/ state board of nursing issues. ana has several staffers that are registered lobyists. some states have a strong hand and own lobbyist at their states capital (ny and pa come to mind)...while others are rarely seen by their legislatures.
ana's nurses strategic action team (n-stat) makes it easy for you to unite with your colleagues across the nation and let lawmakers know how you feel by keeping you up to speed on key bills as they move through congress and letting you know when your emails, phone calls, and letter will make the most impact.
the congressional nursing caucus provides a forum for addressing issues that affect the nursing community, such as flaws in the current health care system and the shortage of rns. it is open to all members of the house of representatives. the current co-chairs of the caucus are representative lois capps (d-ca) and representative steven latourette (r-oh).
ana monitors executive departments regarding the regulations they issue and their implementation of federal laws.
when congress passes laws, they rarely contain enough specific language to guide their implementation completely. it is the responsibility of the federal administrative agencies to fill in the details of new or amended laws with rules and regulations. regulations/rules are used to clarify definitions, authority, eligibility, benefits, and standards. their development is shaped not only by the law but also with the ongoing involvement and input of professional associations like ana, other providers, third party payers, consumers and other special interest groups.
the development of rules takes time and follows a defined process:
the publication of the proposed rule in the federal register offers an opportunity for those with an interest in the particular rule to react to the draft rule before it becomes final. ana routinely reviews the federal register for proposed regulations.
ana reviews regulations of particular interest to the nursing community, analyzing them and identifying concerns.
if necessary, ana submits comments to the agency recommending changes to the proposed regulation. commenting on draft rules is one of the most active points of involvement in the entire legislative process.
the agency reviews all public comments received within the comment period and may make changes to the proposed rule.
after additional agency review the final rule is published and takes effect.
[color=#333399]what federal agencies does ana monitor?
[color=#333399]agency for health research and quality-(ahrq) sponsors and conducts research that provides evidence-based information on health care outcomes; quality; and cost, use, and access. the information helps health care decisionmakers-patients and clinicians, health system leaders, purchasers, and policymakers-make more informed decisions and improve the quality of health care services.
[color=#333399]the centers for disease control and prevention-(cdc) is recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships. cdc serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the united states.
centers for medicare and medicaid services- (cms) the hhs agency responsible for administering the medicare program and parts of the medicaid program. cms has historically maintained specifications for various certifications and authorizations used by the medicare and medicaid programs. cms is responsible for oversight of hipaa administrative simplification transaction and code sets, health identifiers, and security standards. cms also maintains the hcpcs medical code set.
the department of health and human services- (hhs) is the united states government's principal agency for protecting the health of all americans and providing essential human services through more than 300 programs which are administered by 11 hhs operating divisions, including eight agencies in the u.s. public health service and three human services agencies.
department of justice (doj) anti-trust division exists to promote and protect the competitive process - and the american economy - through the enforcement of the antitrust laws. the antitrust laws apply to virtually all industries and to every level of business, including manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and marketing. they prohibit a variety of practices that restrain trade, such as price-fixing conspiracies, corporate mergers likely to reduce the competitive vigor of particular markets, and predatory acts designed to achieve or maintain monopoly power.
department of labor-(dol) is charged with issues relating to workplace safety and health, pensions and benefit plans, employment and other issues related to the american workplace.
department of veterans' affairs (va) provides information on va programs, veteran benefits, va facilities world wide and va medical automation systems.
food and drug administration-(fda) is the federal agency responsible for ensuring that foods are safe, wholesome and sanitary; human and veterinary drugs, biological products, and medical devices are safe and effective; cosmetics are safe; and electronic products that emit radiation are safe. fda also ensures that these products are honestly, accurately and informatively represented to the public.
the health resources and services administration-(hrsa) hrsa's mission is to improve and expand access to quality health care for all by eliminating barriers to care, eliminating health disparities, assuring quality of care and improving public health and health care systems.
the national institute for occupational safety and health-(niosh) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury. the institute is part of the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc).
the national institute of nursing research-(ninr) supports clinical and basic research to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across the life span-from management of patients during illness and recovery to the reduction of risks for disease and disability, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, promoting quality of life in those with chronic illness, and care for individuals at the end of life.
occupational safety and health administration-(osha) is the government agency that establishes protective standards, enforces those standards, and reaches out to employers and employees through technical assistance and consultation programs.
the substance abuse and mental health administration-(samhsa) is the federal agency charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. u.s. immigration and naturalization service-(ins) transitioned into the department of homeland security (dhs) as the bureau of citizenship and immigration services (bcis). the bcis is responsible for the administration of immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establishing immigration services policies and priorities.
[color=#333399]how can individual nurses impact federal rules and regulations?
learn about the federal rule making process and how to make your voice heard.
become informed about the public policy and the health policy issues currently under consideration at the federal level of government.
check out the federal register. it is the very best source of information about proposed new rules and changes to existing rules for federal programs. it is printed every day and contains all complete directions on where to send your comments and the deadlines for the public comment period.
work with your state nurses association by offering your expertise to assist in developing new regulations or modifying existing regulations.
work with your state nurses association to offer your expertise to help prepare comments on proposed regulations.
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there are those of us who choose to speak up to make possitive change. please come join us.
Thanks for all who responded. Let me clarify my post.
I am changing careers. Even though I'm not a nurse, or even in NS, I feel I should have an idea of what other nurses are saying about their career choice.
Needless to say, there are more negative comments than positive on this board . Now wait, don't toss me into the furnace yet.....is it not true there are some issues that could be/should be corrected? I have never heard anyone (in any field) working 12 hours without a meal or break. If this is typical, then there's a major problem that should be addressed.
Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
I am in my final pre-req. and plan on applying to RN program this fall. I am male, single and making a career change.
Why do nurses (non-union states) allow the poor work environment, no breaks, no lunch, etc. situation to continue? Isn't there enough of us to do something about it? Has anyone contacted their state legislator, senator to propose a bill to mandate better working conditions for nurses? If it's a problem and detrimental to the patients health, shouldn't we speak up?
I'm not lobbying in Washington, but in a week I'll be lobbying at my state capitol. For free-- lobbyists in my state for nursing rights don't get paid; we get listened to and shot down. But still we persevere.
I don't "allow" the poor work environments to continue; however, until state AND federal laws change, nurse working environments will be poor.
Here's an idea. Instead of being critical of working nurses (who because of family, work schedules, student loans, workplace repercussions; cannot take time off from work to lobby), how about YOU as a student completing prerequisites work in a lobbist fashion and send letters to congressmen/ senators; attend rallys; etc.
Fighting for change is hard, and as one in the "mix", this posting was offensive. I am doing all I can do, financially and professionally, and face ire from coworkers against my movement every time I'm at work.
I am interested in getting involved in my state. How did you get involved? How did you find out where to go? How do you get access to a debate? how do you get listened to and shot down?
Also, I am thinking that I need to be prepared--I think any really successful lobbyist can count on being turned away at the door for employment by the organizations that want him/her to shut up.
I'm in the same situation as you, californiadreaming. I'm a post bacc working on my prereq's, while also doing a lot of reading about the status of nursing in the US. After reading "Nursing Against the Odds," reading lots of posts on allnurses.com, and talking to nurses that I know, I'm fired up to do something to improve the status of the profession... I can hardly wait to get started, but I also feel a little bit lost. Where would I do it?
The Center for Nursing Advocacy has some great resources on their website, but the organization is now defunct. Nursing unions address the important problems of working conditions and pay for nurses in specific hospitals or in specific states, but they don't seem to focus much other issues, specifically funding for nursing education (and nursing profs, which is what I hope to be one day!) including residency programs for new nurse graduates. The ANA looks like it is where I should be involved, I suppose.
While I really hate to compare nursing to medicine, the AMA has a huge presence in federal, state, and local decisions about regulating and funding medical education and practice. Does the ANA have a similar reach? I get the impression that it still has many "oppurtunities for growth". I am committed to doing what I can now and especially once I'm practicing, but I don't feel like I'm being dismissive of anyone's dedication or rude by saying I'd like to see a more coordinated, powerful, and well funded national body lobbying for nurses and nurses' patients best interests.
Nurses have been on the forefront for social change for women, soldiers, and other groups in the US. Given all of their amazing social history, I'm almost surprized that nurses aren't the most powerful lobby around when they are fighting for themselves.
Thanks for all who responded. Let me clarify my post.
I am changing careers. Even though I'm not a nurse, or even in NS, I feel I should have an idea of what other nurses are saying about their career choice.
Needless to say, there are more negative comments than positive on this board . Now wait, don't toss me into the furnace yet.....is it not true there are some issues that could be/should be corrected? I have never heard anyone (in any field) working 12 hours without a meal or break. If this is typical, then there's a major problem that should be addressed.
Try repeating after me;
"Dear belabored working nurses,
I'm really sorry that my post offended all of you hard-working nurses. I am beginning to understand that your patient advocacy at the bedside puts your jobs on the line most each and every day that you work, let alone trying to improve the working conditions for nursing in general. I promise to loose some of my wet-behind-the-ears thinking before I condescend your supposed lack of political ambition again. Yours Truely, Californiadreaming.
the truth about nursing seeks to increase public understanding of the central, front-line role nurses play in modern health care. our focus is to promote more accurate, balanced and frequent media portrayals of nurses and increase the media's use of nurses as expert sources. the truth about nursing's ultimate goal is to foster growth in the size and diversity of the nursing profession at a time of critical shortage, strengthen nursing practice, teaching and research, and improve the health care system
while i really hate to compare nursing to medicine, the ama has a huge presence in federal, state, and local decisions about regulating and funding medical education and practice. does the ana have a similar reach? i get the impression that it still has many "oppurtunities for growth".
both ama (medicine) and ana (nursing) are nationaly recognized as the professional organization representing each profession. their professional guidelines + code of ethics are recognized under federal law and are referenced to by state boards of medicine and nursing.
snipets of this timeline related to nursing + lobbying include
1903
the first bills concerning registration for nurses were enacted in north carolina, new york, new jersey, and virginia.
1905
the nurses' associated alumnae joined with great britain and germany to become the three charter members of the international council of nurses.
1914
ana established the central information bureau for legislation and information to supply data concerning the work of state boards of nurse examiners.
1921
ana organized a legislative section.
1926
a tentative code of ethics for nurses was adopted by the american nurses' association
1934
ana's house of delegates approved an eight-hour day for nurses and conducted a national campaign to promote better working hours.
1938
ana reported on its study of incomes and employment conditions of nurses. ana recommended a salary schedule for nurses comparable to those of other women workers, a 48-hour week for nurses practicing in institutions, and vacations with pay.
1937
the board of directors of the american nurses' association appointed a special committee for the purpose of considering the question of nurse membership in unions.
1939
ana adopted a policy favoring the licensure of all who nurse for hire.
1944
as a result of the action of ana's board of directors in june, 1944, the name and status of the clearing bureau on problems of state boards of nurse examiners was changed to the bureau of state boards of nurse examiners. one function of this body was to devise methods and procedures for bringing about desirable and reasonable uniformity in relation to standards, regulations, examinations, and records.
1946
the ana house of delegates endorsed the 8-hour day, 4o-hour week for all nurses and called for the elimination of discrimination against minority groups
ana delegates adopted the first association platform.
1949
ana was accredited as an observer to the united nations.
1950
ana's house of delegates adopted an intergroup relations program to work for full integration of nurses of all racial groups in all aspects of nursing.
ana adopted a code of ethics for professional nursing.
1958
ana's house of delegates endorsed health care as a right of all people and urged the extension of social security to include health insurance for beneficiaries of old age, survivors, and disability insurance.
for the first time in the history of the ana, a liaison committee was formed with the american medical association ( which continues to this day..karen)
1964
congress passed the nurse training act of 1964, the first federal law to give comprehensive assistance for nursing education.
1973
standards of community health, maternal and child health, geriatric, and psychiatric and mental health nursing practice were published. in addition, a generic set of standards of nursing practice was published
1977
ana introduces health services bill to expand primary care services and encourages, where practicable in shortage areas, utilization of nurse practitioners in concert with physicians.
1980
ana played a major role in getting an amendment passed prohibiting hospitals from using medicare funds for anti-union activities. ...
....time line continues with listing of many legislative efforts
Specializes in ICU, PIC, BURN UNIT, PEDS, MED SURG, PSY.
Hey guys and girls, I just read the post by californiadreaming, and I'm not quite understanding why everyone attacked. Nursing is taken advantage of, they can't fight for their rights against insurance companies in the same way that the AMA does for doctors, and we do deserve more acknowledgement for our gifts of caring etc that we bring to health care. Yet who does watch our back? Especially with the new and expanded roles. If our legal representation and our lobbies aren't strong enough, the advanced practice nurses are going to be in bigger trouble than doctors have been. The simple truth is that a nurses nobility shouldn't be taken advantage of, and a suggestion from someone new coming in shouldn't make everyone crazy and defensive.
I've been a nurse for a very long time, I've stood up, written books, and work long and hard everywhere so patients know what nurses do, yet we don't have the kind of power we deserve. And why? Because as I said on my own blog, 29 doctors in a hotel room chosen by the AMA and sworn to confidentiality, are the ones deciding the fees for doctors and other practitioners to be paid by Medicare and Medicaid. That's 60 billion dollars...and 29 doctors. No nurses. Yes, we should belong to our nursing organizations, and we should be politically aware and our nursing organizations should cover our back....and yes, also, change takes time. But I was saying just about the same things 30 years ago. Even more important, nurses don't "team" and they turn on each other too quickly. That is what weakens us because if we did stand together there are so many of us that we would have the power we deserve...to fight for ourselves and for our patients. But we have to be willing to see the truth, and not chew anyone up who disagrees with us or asks a question that could have been defended without attacking...Let's not let the business of Medicine or the science of medicine rob us of the Art of healing. That's what nurses are really good at. And that's what heals....
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
By the way, there's a nurse in the US Congress. Lois Capps has been an RN since 1968.