Nurses leaving in droves...

SandraCVRN · Nov 1, 2004

Service recovery is a biggie at my hospital too. It includes flowers, candy, balloons, etc.

We have service recovery also. The worst part about it is when the freqent fliers learn about it and come to realize if they make any kind of little complaint they will get a "treat" ie, meal pass, Walmart gift certificate, etc.

MandyInMS · Nov 1, 2004

I love nursing..I HATE the politics that goes along with it in the hospital setting..been at it for right at 15 years now..the stress/burn out gets to ya sometimes for sure..I make a good salary, decent benefits, like my coworkers,like my DON..the higher ups? don't have a clue...lol...guess it's that way everywhere

nursemary9, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2004

Hi,

I've been doing this for 38 years. LOVE nursing--HATE what it's become!!

All of you have said exactly what I've been feeling for years. I've worked for the same organization for 34 years.I work in a large city. I have excellent salary & good benefits--this is why I have stayed.

With all the changes and the emphasis on "customer Satisfaction", things have gotten almost unbearable. I realize only now that I should have moved on years ago. I was always too "timid"--now I see that I should have taken chances.

Nice to realize this when I'm almost ready to retire. Yes, now I stay only because I feel that I don't want to go to a new place when I only have a couple more years.

We are planning a move South in a year or two. I have checked out the opportunities in some of the southern cities and they seem to pay so much less then I make now!! OH Well!! Hopefully I won't have to actually work down there.

Anyway, you all have made excellent points on why people are leaving.

I wish I had left years ago.

Mary Ann

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 1, 2004

Been an RN for 20 years, and I am back in school to get OUT of the hospital. Corporate mind set does not belong in health care. We have a new "customer service recovery initiative" that involves teaching us nurses to apologize, admit we are wrong, and hand out McDonald's gift certificates. I wonder why hospitals don't just hire WalMart greeters and be done with the pretense that they are institutions of clinical competence. It makes me so angry. I was out of the country for 15 years, and the pay I was offered when I returned was less than I was making as a new graduate. I am trying to educate my family and others to be nurse advocates while they are patients. Nothing will change until the public stands up and says they want to be cared for by people who know what they are doing, not by people concerned with "customer service".

un-freaking-believable. :angryfire

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 1, 2004

It has always been my opinion that every single nurse should start their career with a Plan B for "after the hospital". I spent about 12 years in the hospital environment and it was clear to me after about 6 months I couldn't do that kind of work through to retirement.
I'm also amongst the lucky to have a nursing job I love. But I worked like crazy to find it and it took 10 years to land it. THIS job I can take through to retirement. But hospital? No way I'd have made it.

Just curious. What are you doing now? :)

Trauma-tizedRN · Nov 1, 2004

My first reaction is that you must be kidding. But I suspect that is not the case. I just cannot believe it has come to this. Maybe nurses should stand by the front door, like prostitutes at a brothel, and the "customers" could choose who they want as they are admitted. What a terribly sad state of affairs.

Weetzie....I LOVE your humor! ROFL over this post....got me in the funny bone.

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2004

I do community health nursing...planning and implementing for populations. In my case I oversee older and health impaired driver programs for my state. Anything involving a driver and a health problem (diabetes, seizures, Huntington's Disease, you name it) is my domain.

There is a lot of education, outreach, public speaking, phone work and case management involved. It fits my skills perfectly.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2004

I have thought about becoming something else for about 2 years, and I have been in nursing 5 years only. It really did help me to get out of hospitals after 6 months of doing it, but still, working in assisted living still has the admin and customer service delemas as well.

I don't know, I see the other nurses who have worked for over 10-30 years and I just don't see myself doing it that long, where I am that is! I could be wrong..time is flying, but I really want to find my niche. I think once I do my outlook on my career will be much better, and with nursing...it is flexable enough, just have to be patient, continue to learn, gain experince, and keep your eyes open. That though keeps me going for those times I ask myself "why did I do this nursing thing?!?!"

I am sure I will hit my niche someday...just will take patience and always seeking to be better than I am the day before :). And that..I do for myself more than my career . It won't be a hosptial though!!!!! LOL!!!!

I had to giggle at that mention of prostitutes! LOL, does feel that way sometimes doesn't it, and you do run into a few folks that seem to have that mindset (which is scary!!!!!). I see it more like an indentured servent..."you rang sir, oh yes please...excuse my 2 minute delay, I am sure that must have had you traumatized...please except my appologies and I will empty that foley immediately sir! What is that sir...well yes I will get a message to cook right away..."food sucks and tasted like dog poopie"..yes sir I will correct that right away, again my appologies, for all of us here at the facility we hope this will not be damaging to you, so please forgive all of us for our ignorance and heartlessness. *bow and kiss bottom*". UHGGGGGGG! LOL!!!!

Trauma-tizedRN · Nov 1, 2004

Anyone been exposed to the "Fresh Baked Bread" therapy?

One assignment I took as an ICU traveler (the one where I worked everywhere in the hospital BUT ICU....another story...) had an ortho unit manager that read somewhere about this great therapy and instituted it. You would get your assignment and if it said BM after your name....you were also the breadmaker for the day. Yup, breadmachine on the unit. The aroma of fresh baking bread was supposed to give the patients a sense of well being and returned appetites hence quicker healing. If your name had an S after it, you guessed it...you were the server for the day. Bread and jam. Cute, huh. Ran my butt off on that unit. NPO patients went crazy wanting some, and the rest pestered you for more all day. Clever, huh. How the NURSES were assigned to this and accepted it, i'll never know.

CCU NRS · Nov 1, 2004

Anyone been exposed to the "Fresh Baked Bread" therapy?
One assignment I took as an ICU traveler (the one where I worked everywhere in the hospital BUT ICU....another story...) had an ortho unit manager that read somewhere about this great therapy and instituted it. You would get your assignment and if it said BM after your name....you were also the breadmaker for the day. Yup, breadmachine on the unit. The aroma of fresh baking bread was supposed to give the patients a sense of well being and returned appetites hence quicker healing. If your name had an S after it, you guessed it...you were the server for the day. Bread and jam. Cute, huh. Ran my butt off on that unit. NPO patients went crazy wanting some, and the rest pestered you for more all day. Clever, huh. How the NURSES were assigned to this and accepted it, i'll never know.

That is hilarious!!! I would have to say this was definately above and beyond, I would also think the nurses would be putting on some weight I know I would

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2004

I'm just speechless about the bread therapy thing. There are no words.

mattsmom81 · Nov 1, 2004

I really don't mind doing 'some' extras as long as I'm staffed for it..and that's the problem nowadays isn't it. It bothers me that the facilty's $$$ is going to these special 'customer service' projects like bread and chef made meals.... vs getting adequate staff to give good patient care, and paying educated nurses decently.