NURSES UNITE! Stand up for ourselves

bargainhound, RN · May 12, 2004

I know exactly what you mean.

1BlessedRN · May 12, 2004

Stretch thin

you are absolutely right, if nurses stick together as I have said on several other posts all these problems in the nursing aspect of it will cease, but this is a challenge, are we willing to make a difference as WE stated prior to entering into nursing? why is the shortage happening? why do most male doctors verbally and sometimes physically abuse us? YES this happens everyday...and why aren't we back to giving that direct care to pts. we hardly even know our pt's now, unless we get good report from those that give that direct care, cause we hardly have time to go in and give this care, we're overworked with admissions, charting, discharging, transfers, etc. we have a very good group of intelligent nurses, nurses-to-be, right here on this very website www.ALLNURSES.com and if we all unite together like we do on these posts we really can MAKE A DIFFERANCE!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

odatrn · May 12, 2004

Add to the overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated: understaffed, and in my enviornment, lack of respect by physicians, which is fueled by adminitrations continued support of verbally abusive physicians. I work in an OR, where when the doors close and the patients are asleep, the docs can act anyway they want, and they do. Cursing, name calling, sexually explicit remarks and degrading "jokes". No, not every case, not every day, not every doc. But enough that it is a moral buster. "Confidential" occurance reports are shown to the docs. Our greivance system is non existent. After 16 years I am looking into other facilities, but resent the fact that our administration does not take a more supportive role in this situation.

And yes, I have used the term "hostile enviornment", documented up the wazoo, and what I get is this: One doctor (the worst offender) refuses to work with me any longer. Good for me, except my weaker co workers ( they find the behavior as offensive, but don't want to be labeled a "difficult person to work with", which is what the one surgeon called me) refuse to do this, except for a couple more. Some of my co workers now resent me "because it isn't fair that you don't have to work with ........"

So, yes, I would like more money, not have to work so much mandatory overtime, have more time with the patients, but don't see it happening any time real soon. I hope that what I read in this thread gives me hope that there is something we can do, and are willing to follow up on...........

SmilingBluEyes · May 12, 2004

odatrn....get enough people with you, enough documentation, and you have a harassment/hostile workplace lawsuit, my friend. How bout you think about that for size?

And, no, I am not a sue-happy person, but if this is all true, what you describe is horrific------ you DO have case and are obligated to do something about it! Thank HEAVEN where I work is not at all like this.

bargainhound, RN · May 12, 2004

Where do you work that is not like this? I have not been able to find anywhere.

Jailhouse RN · May 12, 2004

You mean to tell me that you don't stand up and say NO?

SmilingBluEyes · May 12, 2004

none of the hospitals at which I worked are like this. YOU have a problem. Now what to do, that should be the real question, not where I work. THIS is NOT acceptable in ANY place, believe me.

stretch thin · May 12, 2004

Thanks for all the replys. I appreciate it. Sometimes you feel that you stand alone. But the question is still at hand. Your right, there are wonderful nurses out there that care what is going on, but are burned out, that their leaving the field completly. Half the people, well probaly 3/4 of the people I graduated with no longer work in the field. Doesn't that tell anyone something. I know a couple of years ago, my hospital voted YES for a union. Which by the way, the issue is in court. But my state turned around and made a law-The right to work. Which makes the union non-existing. So that tells me that my own state doesn't give a darn about nurses. But yet those people that are in our state legislation want a good nurse to take care of them if they come into my ER with chest pain. You know the funny thing about all this is? I use to be so compassionate, so loving--and now I'm tough. I come home from working a 12 hour shift, hurting and yes sometimes crying. I know that I put everything they I have into my job. And I know everyone on this web site does the same thing. We care!! It simple, I guess. We want the same respect that we're giving to our employer.

SmilingBluEyes · May 12, 2004

I feel for you; sounds as if many of your coworkers have voted, with their feet. Maybe you need to, too, if you can. I still say yours is a hostile work environment, however and would seek legal recourse if things are just as you say they are. I feel horribly for anyone working under conditions as these, I really do. It is SO wrong.

stretch thin · May 12, 2004

Thanks. I hope things will change. The hospital I work at has been sold:) and I hope this new company will elimante several of the administration. I could only pray. Please don't get me wrong, I would hate to see anyone lose their job, but I do want people to DO their job. Thanks again for all the advise. It helps:balloons:

Katnip, RN · May 12, 2004

Yes, we need to learn to stand together on issues. We're over 2.7 million strong in the U.S. But we can't even agree on what's appropriate to wear much less getting together on the bigger issues.