National Nurses Week--Your Opinion

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What do you all think of National Nurses Week? I recall getting little presents, like a new bandage scissors or balloons from hospital management--but to me that seems like a farce. What nurses really need is for management to pay attention to problems, issues, and do something about them--not try to placate nurses with candy and balloons. One hospital gave up blow up beach balls, at the same time they were trying to cut on-call pay down to $.50/hour, do away with getting time and a half if you were called in, and also trying to make call mandatory. I think priorities were a little screwed.

So what do you guys think? Is National Nurses Week just a lot of hot air as it exists now? Do any of your employers actually make real changes during this week for you?:kiss

Specializes in ER, ICU, Corrections.

I thought that it was only a day......at least that is what it has always been at the facilities that I work at. Now the week that National Nurses Week, it is also National Correctional Employees Week and the nurses get hardly nothing....we hardly get honored at all. The thing is for all employees.... The bosses usually get us some flowers for the office but that is about it. I would like to see that nurses get some recognition and have the general public to know how hard we work but that won't happen in my generation I am sure.....:o

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Specializes in ICU.

We get some cheesey little thing every year and for a week The Coats appear to actually listen to what we are saying....:)

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:o I work in a school and they never heard of Nurses Day or Week !
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Last year we got pens that wrote in blue and we are mandated to chart in black. We have in the past been the proud receipients of water bottles, coupons for lunch in the cafeteria, pins that say something like "I make a difference".

It's all a crock.

-Russell

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Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

I can't find where this tradition originated. Anyone know? (Care?):)

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A Crock!!! Don't you wonder what they spend on all the cheap crap they give out? They always can spend the money on stupid ideas, recognitions for this and that, but sure can't find the money when it comes time to talk wages!!!!!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

History of National Nurses Week

http://www.ana.org/pressrel/nnw/nnwhist.htm

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I find the trinkets to be very insulting. You don't see doctor's being recognized with pens or tote bags, they get the cold hard cash and the respect that goes with that!!!

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Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

NRSKarenRN

Thanks...should've realized you knew!

I think they should've left it as a day to honor nurses, perhaps May 12, seeing it was Flo's BD. I agree it trivializes nurses and a week of this is about 4 days too long! It started out as a good idea, but really doesn't honor nurses the way it was meant to originally.

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I have never given it alot of deep thought. The two hospitals where I have spent most of my career have been pretty nice about it. Sit down dinners. Good gifts. i have never been paricularly moved or offended. Eat and carry on. Worse things to fret over for me anyway.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, LTC.

Well this isn't a "nurses day" gift, but I found it funny .....the facility where I work at sends out b-day cards to the staff...very nice huh? Yeah right I work night shift, they sent me a coupon for a free snack from the cafeteria, which I may add is closed while I'm there...so I'm going to show up during the day just to pick up a "free snack"??? WTF?!?!?!

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