Magnet Hospital vs. Everyone Else in these economic times

[BBQvegan]

Hi fellow nurses. I've been a new nurse for the last three months. I am in my last week of orientation, then am on my own. In these few months, I have seen my hospital cut out recruitment incentives/benefits, try to increase productivity, and eliminate nurses ability to work overtime. Three particular incentives including loan repayment, tuition reimbursement, and recruitment bonus were all discontinued. More and more nurses and CNAs are being canceled or cut early, leaving us short-staffed and taking on more patients with less assistance. Then, when I stay late to finish my charting, I get scolded. And no one gets the opportunity to work overtime, but I understand it was always allowed in the recent past. All these annoyances are stressing out the nurses and decreasing the morale. Employees are very irritated. I understand in these economic times cuts are happening around the country. But it makes me wonder what is going on at magnet hospitals. I truly feel my employer does not care about nurses' satisfaction at work, but a magnet hospital is meant to be a great places for nurses, right? So, if you work at a magnet hospital, please give us some insight into how they are making budget cuts, but keeping their employees smiling (or are they)? Thanks!!

[MedSurgeMess]

Whether a facility is Magnet or not, they are all cutting back on these things. I work for a Magnet facility and there is another in the area, and 3 non-Magnet. All have cut back on the same things due to economic pressures. These are used as incentives to get staff in times of abundant jobs, to make a place stand out. Now, there is an abundance of nurses and less jobs, so the employer has the upper hand at this point. I know it stinks, but that's how it is. When the economy/jobs come back, I imagine we'll see all of the extras again.

[elkpark]

Every hospital, regardless of Magnet status, is cutting back every way it can in this economy, just like every other kind of business these days.

My employer is a Magnet hospital (not that that means it's any great shakes ...), and has cut back on tuition reimbursement, OT, and every other "extra" it can think of.

Also, you need to understand that not all Magnet hospitals are "equal." The original idea of the Magnet designation was to reward the few hospitals that were already creating/providing great working environments for nurses. After a few years, when hospitals began to figure out they could use this as a marketing tool, and it might be a problem if another hospital if town had the "Magnet" designation and they didn't (have you noticed how hospitals use this in advertising like the "Magnet" designation as if it's about great patient care??), every hospital applied and now they jump through whatever hoops and make whatever (often temporary) changes they have to in order to meet the minimum criteria to get the designation, but it DOESN'T necessarily mean, any more, that the facility is a good employer for nurses.

[BBQvegan]

Wow, so basically the magnet designation means diddly-squat nowadays? What a waste. I assumed that ALL institutions would be making cuts, but wondered if the nurses at Magnet hospitals felt any less disgruntled than others. I guess there really is no difference?

[elkpark]

I wouldn't say "diddly-squat," but you certainly can't take the Magnet designation at face value and assume that it means what it was originally intended to.