Nurses, Do You Feel Valued???

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

In the past few Pandemic years, nurses have been called "Heroes" as we have navigated through COVID.  Covid is still with us, and we are still doing our jobs just as we always have, even as we struggle with staff shortages and increasing rates of burnout. 

In a January 2022 Galup Poll survey, nurses are ranked as the Most Honest and Ethical Profession for the 20th consecutive year.  American Nurses Association President Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, said in response to the poll’s results. “The fact that this is the 20th year in a row that the American public has voted nurses #1 is a testament to nurses’ consistent professionalism, despite the challenges of the persistent pandemic.”

Do you feel valued...

• By your coworkers
• By doctors
• By upper management
• By patients
• By the general public

As you go about your job, do you feel valued???  Why or why not??

Please share your comments below.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

Yes, I feel valued! No facility or administration is perfect but I am fortunate to work in a setting where co-workers generally appreciate each other, Doctors value my input, management cares about staff, Psych patients are usually grateful once you get their meds properly adjusted and public in our local community give high praise and confidence in our organization. 

Hppy

[esrun2015, MSN, RN]

Yes and no. Some patients are appreciative and thank me, others act like I am there to serve them. Co-workers for the most part at great, but they are too busy themselves to be of any help. The charge nurse, there is one good one who will get up and help and not need to be asked. The others sit at the desk and scroll on FB. The manager, don't see her much, so really not supportive. She has no backbone and likes to gloss things over. And administration, well never see them and only hear from them in an email, when a patient has complained that they didn't get there pain pill on time.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Just like with anything else, there are yes and no answers to your question in my life. In my current situation, upper management is very poorly run and there is a general lack of respect for people demonstrated by many aspects of their decision making and communication. I think that oftentimes people are promoted to positions of leadership because they have done well in their roles (or they're incompetent but they know the right people), but it doesn't mean they will be good leaders. I don't need people to thank me constantly for doing my job, but being treated with disrespect really ticks me off.

When I walk out of my shifts, do I feel valued on a day to day basis? As long as I know that my patients are any better off because of my work, whether they know it or appreciate it or not, I find value in it. If a patient, family member, coworker or doctor chooses to express appreciation that's great, but if not, I'm still good with knowing I've done what I can. 

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I do. I am a terrible people pleaser, and I am harder on myself than anyone can. I still am one of those weirdos that like bedside nursing. I put a lot into my job and my organization and I get a lot out of it.