Nurses Humilated - Illinois

Nurses General Nursing

Published

perhaps you are referring to the nurses that liked the idea of managers going to a boot camp???

I do not think that any nurse would like that boot camp.

This place is unionized. The nurses should aggressively pursue compensation for the breach of the contract.

The actual practices of the boot camp border on abusing your own employees and I am sure there is something within the bargaining agreement which covers that (no bathroom?).

Class action law suit please. Take this hospital to the bank.

Ugh, I did my role transition clinical at that hospital. Doesn't surprise me at all :( so glad I didn't apply there. Patient satisfaction can't be the only thing driving reimbursement. This scares me as a new nurse!

I really believe that it is the dehumanization by management that looks at healthcare 100% with a financially driven lens.

Specializes in ER.

I'm no expert, but not allowing someone to urinate....isn't that a violation of the Geneva Convention?

Amen.

Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

As part of the training for the Assertive Community Treatment program back in 1997, Mental Health Professionals attended a 2 week training seminar in Chicago which involved similar exercises.

For example, for one exercise, we wore headphones mimicking auditory hallucinations while we went through our day. During my interview with a Psychologist, I was diagnosed with Hebephrenic Schizophrenia because I couldn't stop laughing.

In another exercise, we had to go out on the street and panhandle.

I made a dollar.

These empathy exercises were well planned and executed. Not only was the experience enlightening, it was also just plain old fun.

Too bad this one was not likewise.

Specializes in Critical Care.
As part of the training for the Assertive Community Treatment program back in 1998, Mental Health Professionals attended a 2 week training seminar in Chicago which involved similar exercises.

For example, for one exercise, we wore headphones mimicking auditory hallucinations while we went through our day. During my interview with a Psychologist, I was diagnosed with Hebephrenic Schizophrenia because I couldn't stop laughing.

In another exercise, we had to go out on the street and panhandle.

I made a dollar.

These empathy exercises were well planned and executed. Not only was the experience enlightening, it was also just plain old fun.

Too bad this one was not likewise.

The difference being this was not an empathy exercise, but rather a way to punish the nurses and show them what it feels like to not be able to go to the bathroom. It is abusive, shameful and sadly a cruel joke because it is so common for nurses to not go to the bathroom at work because they don't feel they have the time! Management once again blaming the nurse for all the problems. If only the nurses were like Florence Nightingale then everything would be wonderful! No mention or recognition that the problems stem from systemic understaffing and mismanagement!

I grew up in a physically and emotionally abusive environment and sometimes it feels like nursing is similar! The working conditions are coercive and then the physical abuse comes from the patients. It's a sad irony that is not lost on me, but I have to work and can't afford to quit and take early retirement. I've seen alot over the years that has left me bitter, but then even worse things are done such as forcing vaccines on us just to have a job. It leaves me wondering where things will end by the time I can retire! How much worse is it going to get! We are left where we don't have control of our own body, what we put in it and now when we can even go the bathroom! This insanity needs to stop!

Management are the ones that should have had this "empathy" experiment, not the workers in the trenches. They have probably never not taken a break, lunch or gone to the bathroom whenever they wanted! Heck they don't even have to punch a time clock. Maybe if they experienced what it felt like they might wake up and hire more staff! That should be the first solution!

The difference being this was not an empathy exercise, but rather a way to punish the nurses and show them what it feels like to not be able to go to the bathroom. It is abusive, shameful and sadly a cruel joke because it is so common for nurses to not go to the bathroom at work because they don't feel they have the time! Management once again blaming the nurse for all the problems. If only the nurses were like Florence Nightingale then everything would be wonderful! No mention or recognition that the problems stem from systemic understaffing and mismanagement!

I grew up in a physically and emotionally abusive environment and sometimes it feels like nursing is similar! The working conditions are coercive and then the physical abuse comes from the patients. It's a sad irony that is not lost on me, but I have to work and can't afford to quit and take early retirement. I've seen alot over the years that has left me bitter, but then even worse things are done such as forcing vaccines on us just to have a job. It leaves me wondering where things will end by the time I can retire! How much worse is it going to get! We are left where we don't have control of our own body, what we put in it and now when we can even go the bathroom! This insanity needs to stop!

Management are the ones that should have had this "empathy" experiment, not the workers in the trenches. They have probably never not taken a break, lunch or gone to the bathroom whenever they wanted! Heck they don't even have to punch a time clock. Maybe if they experienced what it felt like they might wake up and hire more staff! That should be the first solution!

If more nurses were like Flo, we would not have these problems. one tough broad, she.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I would have been like, "Deuces, I am off to the bathroom!" Because I damn near wrecked my bladder and kidneys while deployed, and I am not doing that again. I would have thrown the combat veteran card at them, oh yes indeed, you better believe it. And honestly, you'd have to physically restrain me if you wanted me to participate in such shenanigans, and then there would REALLY be a problem. I might be only 4'11", but I am a scrapper.

If their administration wanted a demonstration of empathy, they should work a shift with the nurses to find out why it is that their patients can't get enough time with their nurses. I would bet it's a lack of staffing.

Wow! I can't believe they did that!

Specializes in Urology, HH, med/Surg.

All that 'exercise' shows is a complete disconnect between floor nurses & management.

And if any of the management that designed this atrocity were once floor nurses, then they should be mortally ashamed of themselves!

Do they think nurses leave a patients on bedpans longer than necessary because we're shopping on the internet? And everyone of us knows exactly what it feels like not to empty our bladder when we need to, it happens every shift!

I would think a fair resolution would be:

1) be paid double time for that ' training session

2) allow every nurse that participated to come up with a scenario that they've experienced on the floor & force the management to participate in their own 'boot camp' so they can develop a little empathy of their own- make sure there is charting involved- don't spare them that!!

3) have someone call them during their regular time to sleep to beg/cajole/threaten them to work overtime because of short staffing

Maybe have their bootcamp last more than one day, because a few 12 hr shifts will give them a better feel of how tiring it is

Monetary compensation is good- but it's not everything. Management is not going to get it until they walk at least a few feet in nurse's shoes

Or maybe they should have a boot camp for patients when they are well. Let them see what it's like to take care of 6-8 (or more) often demanding patients. Then throw a code in and see how they handle that. The public really has no idea what we do.

ETA: Ask the ladies of The View what happens when you piss off a bunch of nurses. It usually doesn't work out to well for you.

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