Let`s Make Our Voices Heard!

ainz · Oct 4, 2003

Unions, staffing ratios, and the like are only chipping away at the symptoms of the problem. It is like giving tylenol to someone with pneumonia, it relievs the fever but does nothing to fight the core cause of the fever.

As long as nurses remain employees of hospitals, home health agencies, etc., we will be treated as an expensive labor force that has to be managed and they still have the power over nurses, staffing ratios, unions, and whatever else considered.

Consider the position of physicians. They are not employees, for the most part, and do not necessarily answer to administration in the way nurses do. Of course there are issues with being in a situation like physicians but we do not live in a perfect world.

Becoming autonomous professionals paid directly by the payors (that is Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies etc) and removing ourselves from the hospital payroll is the long term solution we are seeking.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 4, 2003

Originally posted by ainz
Unions, staffing ratios, and the like are only chipping away at the symptoms of the problem. It is like giving tylenol to someone with pneumonia, it relievs the fever but does nothing to fight the core cause of the fever.

Becoming autonomous professionals paid directly by the payors (that is Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies etc) and removing ourselves from the hospital payroll is the long term solution we are seeking.

Yes... but IN THE INTERIM, Ainz... until that HAPPENS ... this is STILL something to push for ! It is NECESSARY... for the safety and welfare of patients everywhere... and for our own as well.

Why should we not do this while we work toward the other?

Soooooooo... anybody have a heads-up on Va. and N.C. ? Anything in the works there regarding safe staffing legislation? I'm new at this, but I'm WILLING to add my voice, do my share.

Va./NC nurses, if you have any links/info, let me know!

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 4, 2003

Sometimes the number of patients a nurse is assigned to take care of is not as important as the actual acuity of the patient. WE need safe minimum staffing laws, but we also need something so we can have a extra person added when the acuity is through the roof. I have had days when 4 patients were too much, ICU was full and very high acuity patients were on the floor with inadequate staffing. We need somethings to gage actual bedside care/hours needed when acuity is high vs a set of numbers.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 4, 2003

Originally posted by barefootlady
Sometimes the number of patients a nurse is assigned to take care of is not as important as the actual acuity of the patient. WE need safe minimum staffing laws, but we also need something so we can have a extra person added when the acuity is through the roof. I have had days when 4 patients were too much, ICU was full and very high acuity patients were on the floor with inadequate staffing. We need somethings to gage actual bedside care/hours needed when acuity is high vs a set of numbers.

I don't argue that, my Barefootlady friend ! I agree 100%. :)

peglegpeg · Oct 5, 2003

" Yes... but IN THE INTERIM, Ainz... until that HAPPENS ... this is STILL something to push for ! It is NECESSARY... for the safety and welfare of patients everywhere... and for our own as well.

Why should we not do this while we work toward the other?

Soooooooo... anybody have a heads-up on Va. and N.C. ? Anything in the works there regarding safe staffing legislation? I'm new at this, but I'm WILLING to add my voice, do my share.

Va./NC nurses, if you have any links/info, let me know!"

You go, girl! We CAN make the difference! P

peglegpeg · Oct 5, 2003

Please email me for links - I have tons of them! Thanks! P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

"It is HORRIBLE these people have lived there intire lives for this. So sad. OOPs I think I may have kind of hijacked your thread sorry. BTW I am with you FOR staffing ratios where do I sign?"

No problem - its exactly people like you that I need! What state are you in? It sounds like one with no MSS.....P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

Originally posted by gwenith
Australia here - ours are not mandated as such but are enforced through both the union and the accreditation council. We use a computer system called Trendcare.

This is a reasonably simple tick and flick system. It has it's disadvantages - heavens knows but it is the best we got and it does *PROVE* that we need the staff that we say we do.

I say go for it and push at all levels. After all you are not asking for the moon - just safe staffing. You need some form of guide though as a simple number ratio will have you still in problems as the acuity within our hospitals continue to rise.

Thank you for your support! I am going! And I am making progress! I am so enormously pleased!

Acuity is important - yes, very. I have worked in several n/h`s where acuity studies were done routinely, and the staff/patent ratio shifted accordingly. And I personally believe that ALL facilities should do acuity studies. But that is another issue....P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

Originally posted by SharkadelicRN
We have a group of nurses in our community that are trying to establish better working conditions and better staffing ratios. We are still in the beginning stages but I do see great things on the horizon. Come visit our website.

This is what we are doing

I suggest you visit the NCCNHR and AARP and see what is going on in your particular state. Look up the government websites and find out what legislation is in the works. Join your voices to as many groups as you can - the louder we shout, the more we`ll be heard!

And get the public - especially the voting public - informed and involved! Believe it or not, the average "man on the street" believes that ALL nursing homes are adequately staffed. The taxpayers of today are going to be the n/h residents of tomorrow - this is a critical issue for them, as well as us. P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

Originally posted by Geeg
I wish we could have a national nurse sick day. You knowsort of like police and the blue flu.

I don`t believe that would work in all cases - perhaps some. I`ve known a lot of n/h administrative personnel that would refuse to give into staff demands at ANY cost!

Supporting the legislation that is in the works is by far the best way to go - and the course of least resistance. The nurses need to group together for maximum effect, and the public needs to be made aware of what`s happening in the states where there is no MSS. Get the word out on the streets - the voters and the nurses are going to be the ones who will make the difference! P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

Originally posted by Precious Times

We can all be a light for generations to come,

Together we can move the Mountain!

Apart we move only a stone.

I Hope we all do are part, and remember the compassion in are hearts for respect and dignity of all Humane Life. [/b]

I hope we do, too. If each one of us get involved, and get one othr person involved, the word will spread like a wildfire. And that is exactly what this nation needs - informtion abut the n/h indutry as it is today, especally the MSS! We can change a lot - we must go one step at a time. P

peglegpeg · Oct 7, 2003

Originally posted by ainz
Unions, staffing ratios, and the like are only chipping away at the symptoms of the problem. It is like giving tylenol to someone with pneumonia, it relievs the fever but does nothing to fight the core cause of the fever.

As long as nurses remain employees of hospitals, home health agencies, etc., we will be treated as an expensive labor force that has to be managed and they still have the power over nurses, staffing ratios, unions, and whatever else considered.

Consider the position of physicians. They are not employees, for the most part, and do not necessarily answer to administration in the way nurses do. Of course there are issues with being in a situation like physicians but we do not live in a perfect world.

Becoming autonomous professionals paid directly by the payors (that is Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies etc) and removing ourselves from the hospital payroll is the long term solution we are seeking. [/quote
I beg to disagree, Ainz. You may be right - perhaps non-profit is the way to go. But we have to chip away at each obstacle, before we achieve total reform. And I believe that mandating the MSS is a good starting point.
Once we get the nursing homes properly - and safely - staffed, then the n/h administrations can decide whether for-profit is a lucrative investment, or not. If the answers turn out to be NO, then the government can take the helms.
One step at a time - one can go for miles and miles......