Joy In Striking???

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

Dear GingerZoe,

Considering the educational level of many staff nurses, they are well compensated. There are very few people with commeasurate levels of education who are paid as well as nurses with diploma and associate degrees. I fully understand after 25 years in this profession that the work is taxing and the hours are long, and nurses do earn their pay. In fact it is the financial opportunities that are luring the current influx of second career nursing students into the field of nursing.

However, as we all know there are some days on the job, when there simply is not enough money to compensate anyone for the job we do, but we do it because it is in our blood, it is who we are.

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

"Hence, the nursing shortage? Maybe young people today want to be compensated for the work they do?"

Gingerzoe,

I would like to make the argument that it is not the lack of compensation that has discouraged young people from careers in nursing, it is the image problem, which quite frankly is further compromised by the "blue collar" mentality demonstrated by nurses who have been disempowered by a union environment.

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

"Well said. Its amazing the "new nurses" who think everyone else is a mean bully out to screw them."

Dawn,

It is not just a perception, you would be amazed the at the shabby way some nurses treat students and new grads. It's shameful!

We have more power than perceived in shaping new nurses, we forget that they have the plasticity to change and grow under our good influences.

allnurses Guide · Dec 5, 2003

Originally posted by obgrn
"Hence, the nursing shortage? Maybe young people today want to be compensated for the work they do?"

Gingerzoe,
I would like to make the argument that it is not the lack of compensation that has discouraged young people from careers in nursing, it is the image problem, which quite frankly is further compromised by the "blue collar" mentality demonstrated by nurses who have been disempowered by a union environment.

This is a provocative thought . . . . . .hmmmm.

steph:)

SnowymtnRN · Dec 5, 2003

Originally posted by obgrn
"Hence, the nursing shortage? Maybe young people today want to be compensated for the work they do?"

Gingerzoe,
I would like to make the argument that it is not the lack of compensation that has discouraged young people from careers in nursing, it is the image problem, which quite frankly is further compromised by the "blue collar" mentality demonstrated by nurses who have been disempowered by a union environment.

I completely disagree . people don't become nurses because of the money, they become nurses because its in their hearts and in their blood. But just because of that does NOT mean they should "take what they can get and feel like they are lucky." How anyone can think the average $20/hr for caring for 8-10 sick patients with no breaks, no lunch, and no support is beyond me. Sounds like some people are WAY too idealistic. And think that just because they chose this profession, they should just deal with it as its been for 50 years. Every other career in the world has evolved, why not nursing? Why is it that the ONE career that handles peoples lives and emotions is the one that doesn't want to pay anything? It says something about coorporate america when they'd rather pay business and financial managers big bucks, but not the people on the front lines caring for patients and their overall health

gingerzoe · Dec 5, 2003

dear obgrn

What do you mean by the union disempowering you? As far as being blue collar I think most nurses are blue collar workers ie working with the patient. I think the white collar would be management. I have worked both non union and union. I make more money working union. I do not feel disempowered at all. In fact I think being in a union has a real closeness to it, like the saying all for one, one for all.:)

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

Dawn,

You are correct that it is hard work, and our nurses here in Philly are doing quite a bit better financially than you all in Wyoming. We have new grads making 72-78,000/year. Far more than I made in advanced practice where I had alot of accountability. It surely is an image issue, compounded by the fact that it is a female dominated profession, for we all know that good girls don't make waves. I think it is of vital importance that we do work thru the system as change agents. The recent Gallup poll that showed that nurses are the most trusted profession means something! The public does need to hear about the abysmal conditions in hospitals today. and it is not for lack of trying , we work harder and harder but something has to give.

What is irking me most is that quite frankly many nuses did not give a rats ass nor did they mobilize until it affected their wallets. it is disheartening.

SnowymtnRN · Dec 5, 2003

What is irking me most is that quite frankly many nuses did not give a rats ass nor did they mobilize until it affected their wallets. it is disheartening

This is very true. My DH has been saying for YEARS that if nursing had been a man's profession 20 years ago, that it wouldn't be in the shape it is in now. What's sad is i believe he's right, because the fact of the matter is men won't take what women have endured over the past decades. Its amazing what we put up with as women.........dismal working conditionis, heavy patient loads, working sick with injuries due to lack of staff........makes me very sad.

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

Originally posted by gingerzoe
dear obgrn
What do you mean by the union disempowering you? As far as being blue collar I think most nurses are blue collar workers ie working with the patient. I think the white collar would be management. I have worked both non union and union. I make more money working union. I do not feel disempowered at all. In fact I think being in a union has a real closeness to it, like the saying all for one, one for all.:)

I do not mean to malign those who are employed as blue collar workers, but dealing with the most intimate aspects of peoples lives is certainly not the same as laying bricks. WE are "white collar" in the sense that we are not a trade, rather we are educated professionals. Making more money does not equate with empowerment. Do you currently or have you ever worked in a shared governance or a professional practice environment? Do you feel you have some control over your practice environment? Unions do not foster this type of practice, and in fact in my experience it has disempowered nurse in the decision making process.

pickledpepperRN · Dec 5, 2003

The California Nurses Association is run by a Board of Directors composed of 100% direct care registered nurses. The members make the decisions.

Of course some choose not to participate so the active members control the organization. Below RN leaders tell how THEY have improved patient care at their facility:

http://cna.igc.org/cna101/nursingpractice.htm

http://cna.igc.org/cna101/100years.htm

Community Campaign Improves Telemetry Staffing

The CNA Professional Practice Committee at St. Vincent, LA:

"Our telemetry unit assignments were too heavy to allow safe delivery of patient care. After meetings with nursing administration proved unproductive, the telemetry nurses and the PPC initiated an intensive two-week ADO campaign on all shifts in the unit to document the unsafe assignments that resulted in a private meeting with JCAHO and the State Department of Health Services (DHS). Violations of Title 22 were reported and the facility was cited for staffing deficiencies. When administration still did not comply, the nurses held a candlelight vigil at the hospital about the staffing deficiencies at which copies of the DHS report were distributed to the media, physicians, and other staff.

A few days later, the staffing ratios recommended earlier by the PPC were implemented. The staffing matrix now includes 2 acuity levels at 1:3 and 1:5."

Political pressure and ADO campaign forces hospital to hire additional RNs and negotiate ban on mandatory overtime - Kathy Rayl, RN, Contra Costa County:

"Our administration tried to use mandatory overtime to staff the perinatal unit. We organized an ADO campaign in which we documented this abusive and unsafe practice and presented the information to the county Board of Supervisors. Management was forced to hire more RNs and we negotiated protections against mandatory overtime in our subsequent contract."

Inferior equipment replaced - Kathy Patane, RN, CNA Board Member, City of Hope, Duarte:

"A new pump was introduced for use in the BMT unit with inadequate orientation for the nurses. Patients were upset because their nurses were not familiar with the new equipment and the pumps had major technical problems. The PPC got all the nurses on the unit together to summarize the problems. A meeting with nursing administration resulted in a return to the former pump, which the nurses thought was a superior product."

Unsafe Floating Stopped - Maxine Terk, RN, UCLA:

"NICU RNs were being floated to the PICU with no training and given a full pediatric assignment. The patient acuity is one of the highest of all PICU units in Southern California. The nurses called in a CNA Nursing Practice representative who determined that this policy was a violation of Title 22 competency validation requirements. NICU RNs refused to float until an orientation with guidelines for specific ages was provided. We now have a three-day orientation and do not have to take a patient over one year of age."

CNA contract language and RN collective action stops unsafe practice of recovering surgery patients in critical care unit - Lorraine Detabali, RN, St. Luke's, San Francisco:

"The hospital initiated a policy where PACU patients would be recovered in ICU when PACU was short staffed. The hospital was trying to circumvent contract language saying that critical care RNs can't be mandated to float to PACU by "floating" patients into the ICU.

The entire ICU/CCU staff refused to participate in a two- hour "training" class that was inadequate to prepare us to care for this new patient population. We notified administration that we would look for other positions rather than participate in an unsafe staffing plan. After meeting with our PPC and ICU/CCU RNs, the hospital agreed to stop the practice of recovering patients in the critical care unit. A PACU RN is now on call and the PPC is discussing additional training options."

obgrn · Dec 5, 2003

Space Nurse,

Thank you - it's amazing the change we are capable of when we work together with a patient focus!

RNangelER · Dec 5, 2003

Originally posted by obgrn
Dawn,
You are correct that it is hard work, and our nurses here in Philly are doing quite a bit better financially than you all in Wyoming. We have new grads making 72-78,000/year. Far more than I made in advanced practice where I had alot of accountability.

obgrn please tell me which hospital in Philly these new grads are making this kind of money! I am not a new grad nor have I ever seen that amount of money working here in Philly. Just curious! :confused: