The hospital I work at has been implementing the new care model Relationship Based Care with Primary Nursing being the center. The hospital is also reaching for Magnet Status. We recently had the surveyors come to the hospital, and our document has passed with flying colors.
Personally, I loathe both processes. I am a fairly new RN, only about two years out of school, naive in the idea that I would be caring for patients instead of working on committees and completing paperwork and being a "foot-licker" to outside surveyors and administration.
I think Magnet is a complete parody. I believe the true issues in nursing involve not having the time needed to do our jobs, low staffing, sometimes inadequate pay, and little to no respect from other healthcare professionals/administration and often disrespect and dislike from the public and our own patients. I am so disappointed that so much money and effort goes into a process that I believe to be a fallacy. It, so far, has not improved anything within my work. Instead, it has made me feel like a toy utilized to gain the "company" of the hospital a status that will bring them more revenue and allow administrators to boast to others. I work more hours on committees while maintaining my regular 40hr work week on the floor, and am expected to be the perfect, non-complaining employee to individuals who come and inspect our hospital to decide if we deserve this so-called Magnet Status. The process has gained nothing for me personally, the floor RN, the person whom it is supposed to make the most benefit for.
I also find RBC or primary nursing to be irrelevant to my practice. It was presented to our Unit Practice Council not as a choice, but rather as a requirement. I'll never forget our Patient Services director stating "No one has a choice in this, you all have to do this, it's going hospital wide. There is no choice." When the hired outside company came to address us personally, I was so surprised when they stated to the RN's "This is what you wanted." I was surprised because no one actually asked us what we wanted to do for our caring model. It was decided by the higher-up's that this is what was going to happen for the hospital. The entire process is lengthy, with meeting conducted with this outside company and participating in embarrassing processes that I personally felt were ridiculous and demeaned my so-called "healthcare professional" status as a registered nurse. However, I do think that the behind principles are important - creating a relationship with your patient, continuity of care, and working more towards your patient's individual requests and needs. But, I believe that my floor was already doing these things. We worked hard on continuity and all took our relationships with our patients seriously. With the RBC process all I find is that we're doing more paperwork, no increase (for me, at least) for my satisfaction, and finding myself almost having to lie in order to maintain my job status. I have addressed my issues to my nurse manager as well as the hired outside company, and all I have received back is "You're not being positive enough" or " You're a new nurse, you'll see how this will help" which all make me feel once again, not appreciated nor involved in the decision-making process for my care, which becomes linked into the Magnet process. How am I supposed to feel excited for processes that supposedly help with my "satisfaction" when things are just becoming harder and harder for me to actually care and apply my expertise in health promotion to my patients whom I am there for in the first place?
I'm sorry I wrote a book. I could probably go on forever on these topics. Thanks for anyone who actually read all of this. I would love any feedback.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Nursing is a hard enough job without all the politics, infighting, snobbery, status-chasing and general witchiness. Why on earth would anyone in his or her right mind introduce a process that only exacerbates those problems?
Makes me thankful I'm out of management........I can't imagine wanting to make life even harder for the floor nurses than it already is.
I loathe Magnet, because as far as I am concerned, they do not advocate for ALL nurses; just RNs and BSNs in particular. I want to say that I am not starting the infamous LPN and RN war, so, please don't take any of this to offense, RNs, just hear me out. What I am saying is that we are all licensed nurses who made a commitment to patient care and we are ALL in this together. In addition, many non-unionized hospitals have laid off LPNs or reduced their titles as well as pay to being techs in order to appease the egos of the Magnet surveyors. I have not seen improvements in other facilities that have received magnet, so, I don't expect them to come our way if they are insane enough to grant the title to my facility. Facilities that are more nurse-friendly are that way because of a strong and supportive leadership, not due to Magnet recognition.
Don't feel that LPNs are left out. Magnet doesn't really recognize RNs or BSNs, it just gives us more paperwork to do to prove that we're being recognized. Personally, I'd happily give up the recognition along with the paperwork. (We didn't get Magnet when it came around last time, bwahahaha! Of course, now we just have to try harder next time.:icon_roll)
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Don't feel that LPNs are left out. Magnet doesn't really recognize RNs or BSNs, it just gives us more paperwork to do to prove that we're being recognized. Personally, I'd happily give up the recognition along with the paperwork. (We didn't get Magnet when it came around last time, bwahahaha! Of course, now we just have to try harder next time.:icon_roll)
My heart is broken that we didn't get Magnet the last time (:uhoh21:yeah...RIGHT!). It is true, all nurses are pawns in the game ready to be manipulated for their silly games.
Are you practicing primary nursing within the RBC model? We are having some difficulties implementing this, particularly on night shift. I posted about it here:
I think "Magnet status" is an over-hyped joke. The intentions are "good" but the practical realities are something else altogether.
What makes a good nursing unit - besides staffing and the kind of people you work with... is management. I recently shifted from a VERY TOXIC work environment to a much better unit. Not only is staffing better... but management is more accessible and actually seems to listen to staff input every once a while.
Am I saying my new job is fabulous and problem free?
Absolutely not! There's plenty of change that needs to be done (working equipment for example).
But unlike my previous hospital which thought that 'going magnet' would solve nursing issues - my current employer seems more focused on issues at hand versus some mythical certification.
I predict that "Magnet status" will fast go the way of "JCAHO* certified" - PR for the masses but universally derided and laughed at by health care workers...
cheers,
*: I refuse to call them by their new name. JCAHO is one of the perfect examples of bureaucracy gone bad. "Road to hell is paved with good intentions" and all that....
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
IMHO?
I think "Magnet status" is an over-hyped joke. The intentions are "good" but the practical realities are something else altogether.
What makes a good nursing unit - besides staffing and the kind of people you work with... is management. I recently shifted from a VERY TOXIC work environment to a much better unit. Not only is staffing better... but management is more accessible and actually seems to listen to staff input every once a while.
Am I saying my new job is fabulous and problem free?
Absolutely not! There's plenty of change that needs to be done (working equipment for example).
But unlike my previous hospital which thought that 'going magnet' would solve nursing issues - my current employer seems more focused on issues at hand versus some mythical certification.
I predict that "Magnet status" will fast go the way of "JCAHO* certified" - PR for the masses but universally derided and laughed at by health care workers...
cheers,
*: I refuse to call them by their new name. JCAHO is one of the perfect examples of bureaucracy gone bad. "Road to hell is paved with good intentions" and all that....
:bowingpur:bowingpurHey, this was VERY well put!!:bow:
Of course, now we just have to try harder next time.:icon_roll)
:bow:
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
Nursing is a hard enough job without all the politics, infighting, snobbery, status-chasing and general witchiness. Why on earth would anyone in his or her right mind introduce a process that only exacerbates those problems?
Makes me thankful I'm out of management........I can't imagine wanting to make life even harder for the floor nurses than it already is.