Should nurses strike?

roxannekkb · Jun 21, 2003

>>>Someone please tell me how walking out the door and picketing is beneficial to the patient? Is is the greater good theory? So we will put a load of patients in harms way while we picket in order to get what we want in the end? So those patients that are admitted during the strike are expendable? The other people after the strike will be ok so it doesn't matter what happens during the strike? That's how it looks to me when RNs strike. The end does not always justify the means

It has been clearly pointed out on this board that striking is a last resort, not a first resort. And strikes are never just, "Hey guys, we didn't get our way, let's go out and strike." And everyone drops what they're doing and runs out the door.

Strikes generally come at the end of a long process of trying to work with management. And when management refuses to negotiate with nurses, like for such piddly things as getting rid of mandatory overtime, or cutting the patient load, or unfreezing pay rates, then a strike is called.

Management is usually given ample time to transfer patients and to stop accepting new admits. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. More often than not, they are busy negotiating with agencies who supply scabs, to take the striking nurses places.

So how is picketing beneficial to patients? Well, a strike may mean that nurses will be given less patients, will do away with mandatory overtime, and that a patient on a surgical floor will not be cared for by a NICU nurse. Better working conditions for nurses equals better patient care. Poor working conditions equals poorer patient care, it means a greater exodus of experienced nurses out of the profession--which is happening right now. So again, patients suffer because of a lack of nurses.

No one wants to go out on strike. But in many instances, management is not going to listen and continue to cut corners, overload nurses and in doing so, increase patient deaths--unless nurses take strong action. I think preventing unnecessary patient death is a benefit, don't you?

A strike is inconvenient, yes. But I firmly believe that patients are far more endangered by being in a hospital where nurses are leaving in droves, being worked into an early grave, and delivering poor patient care as a result.

And yes, you did come across as harsh, especially your rant about how we should be "grateful" for our jobs. Sorry, but I refuse to show gratitude to someone who abuses me. Mr. CEO is sitting upstairs in his plushy office, nice and comfy, making several million a year while the nurses downstairs are busting their butts for a tiny fraction of the amount. Should I be grateful to the suits who are busy cutting every bit of fat away from the hospital, including housekeeping, RTs, secretaries, etc, and then expect me to pick up the slack? In addition to caring for 12 patients a shift?

If you can come up with a better solution, when nurses and management reach an impasse, I'm sure that everyone on the board would love to hear it. Other than shut up, put up and just do your job.

bender73 · Jun 21, 2003

Roxannekkb...The "grateful for your job comment" does have merit. There are plenty of unemployed people that would love to be in a situation to even have a job to worry about. You have to admit that. In general, a crappy job is better than no job.

Oh, and please stop with the CEO bashing. Do you really know what CEOs do? My uncle is a CEO of a corporation and works way more than me or most RNs (or doctors for that matter). Don't play that card because unless you personally know what a CEO does on a daily basis, you can't make that argument. Being a CEO can be a 24/7 stressful grind.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2003

Oh Golly gee willikers

pickledpepperRN · Jun 21, 2003

roxannekkb

"I think preventing unnecessary patient death is a benefit, don't you?"

roxannekkb · Jun 21, 2003

>>>Oh, and please stop with the CEO bashing. Do you really know what CEOs do? My uncle is a CEO of a corporation and works way more than me or most RNs (or doctors for that matter). Don't play that card because unless you personally know what a CEO does on a daily basis, you can't make that argument. Being a CEO can be a 24/7 stressful grind

I'll stop the CEO bashing when they stop cutting corners, laying off people, and coming out with great comments about how nurses need to do "customer service." Or while they're initiating a pay freeze and at the same time giving themselves a $4 million Christmas bonus.

The president of one hospital I worked at wanted to cut our on-call pay from $2/hour to 50 cents, and then not give time and a half for being called in, and not give a differential if you came in on nights. When nurses protested, he said he would make it mandatory, as if we were kindergarten children. As these words were leaving his mouth, he had his office completely renovated, and gave himself a hefty raise.

Sorry Bender, for offending your friend Mr. CEO, but this happens all the time in hospitals and healthcare systems. It has been widely covered in the media, so it's not exactly a big secret. They cry poverty while padding their pockets. While every other inch is being cut, while everyone's salaries may be frozen in place, while services and personnel are dropped, Mr. CEO and his friends escape unscathed. Never do they lose a penny from their salary, never are their bonuses delayed or withheld.

The suits who work upstairs in the clouds are so far removed from the realities of hospital life that they wouldn't know a nurse if they tripped over one. All they see are numbers--to be played with, switched around, eliminated.

Yes, the CEOs have my utmost sympathy. My heart bleeds for them. And I'm very happy that your uncle works hard. Please send him my best.

And like many who have commented, I find it hard to believe that you are an NP, let alone a nurse. You sound like you work in a PR office far off in la-la land. I guess your answer to the nursing shortage would be for RNs to shut up, put up, kiss the feet of the CEO and thank them profusely for their job, and resolve to be good little martyrs--even if it kills them.

roxannekkb · Jun 21, 2003

>>>Roxannekkb...The "grateful for your job comment" does have merit. There are plenty of unemployed people that would love to be in a situation to even have a job to worry about. You have to admit that. In general, a crappy job is better than no job

I forgot that other lovely point of yours. Yes, there are plenty of unemployed people. And yes, a crappy job may be better than no job. However, nurses are highly trained professionals and there is a SHORTAGE OF NURSES!! Does that compute? In a time of a shortage, why on earth should nurses put up with s***t? There is no reason for the working conditions that exist in healthcare except for the fact that hospitals are cutting corners, and they see nursing as something that gets thrown in with the laundry and food trays. Nurses are not numbers to be tossed around, things to be cancelled, floated, and treated like trash. Nurses deverse to have safe working conditions, good pay, good benefits, be free from physica and verbal abuse, have a decent patient load, and most of all, to be treated with respect.

So no Bender, I do not think that "grateful for your job" has any merit at all. In your strange little world, nurses should be groveling at the master's feet, thanking them for allowing them to be overworked and underpaid, and apologizing for daring to speak up for themselves. Imagine wanting to have a bathroom break during a 12 hour shift. How absurd.

You comment about being grateful for a job is one of the most degrading things anyone has ever said about nurses. It sounds like something a hospital president would say as he announces the latest cutbacks. And strangely enough, Bender, so many nurses are just so grateful to have the type of job that you extoll, that they have the nerve to quit! And leave in droves. How about that? Those ungrateful fools.

bender73 · Jun 22, 2003

roxannekkb,

Now your just being insulting. I apologized for being a little harsh and then come back with my personal opinion without sounding condescending. You reply with sarcasm and doubt my credentials...yet another one to do that.

I had a chat with a random ER nurse today at work to get his opinion. I told him exactly what I said to see if I was really wrong in my thinking. He was totally in agreement with me. He was tired of picketing RNs so he changed hospitals. He was tired of the griping.

Like I said, not all nurses feel the same way. Some may agree with me and some with you.

I'll respect your opinions more if you actually post a well thought out response rather than sarcasm, doubting my credentials, and saying I am in la la land. :rolleyes:

Don't insult me. I have not insulted anyone aside from giving my personal views. Sadly, I only got like one non-emotional well thought out response from jt. Like I said before, I am open to all opinions and I am not a snob. That said, striking is wrong in my opinion...especially when those striking RNs have to be controlled by security for harassing other RNs...like at Medical City in Worcester, MA. I'll say it again...the end is not always justified by the means.

EDIT - Oh and that comment about being grateful for having a job is not at all degrading. C'mon, use some judgement. It was obvious in my response that I was saying that because there are a lot of professionals out there in really hard times with no job!!! I am grateful that I have a job because I feel for those people that cannot keep up with their bills because they cannot find work in their field.

Let's keep some things in perspective please.

RNstudentK · Jun 22, 2003

"So no Bender, I do not think that "grateful for your job" has any merit at all. In your strange little world, nurses should be groveling at the master's feet, thanking them for allowing them to be overworked and underpaid, and apologizing for daring to speak up for themselves."

I am astonished by the response of roxannekkb. Yes it is ok to debate but just because you are backed into a corner doesn't me that you have to be so demeaning and callous. You have no right to assume what a person thinks. I just graduated from a highly ranked prestigious University where I studied psychology and I still and will never assume what people are thinking. I am now a nursing student who works very hard. I know what is ahead and I am ready to work long hard hours. What I am not ready for is to leave my patient's bed side when they need me most. We are suppose to be advocates for the Patients...We are not suppose to abandon and neglect people when they need us most. The patients that come in are sick and frightened...they don't need nurses who took the oath to be the patients' advocates leaving them when they are most vulnerable. If you picket....I will be there picking up your slack and taking care of my patients. I just left a job where I taught mentally and behaviorally challenged teenages from the ages of 12 to 18....the next step for these kids was jail or a psych. ward...they had diagnoses of oppositional defiant disorder, ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, Bipolar and so on. I got verbally abused by these kids and only received $14 an hour. Even though I was a 22 year old female teaching way to many challeged kids at once, I did not complain or give up because I knew these kids needed me. At times I was scared for being a young female among sexual abusers and no one else to support me. My point is that nurses go into this profession because they have something that no other profession has....We CARE....How can you care when you are leaving them. There has to be a better solution than to practice negligance.

Oh... in response to bender's post, he may be harsh and I may not agree with some of his wording but I totally see where he is coming from and I think others should read his post more carefullly before they jump all over him.

Hardknox · Jun 22, 2003

Come back and talk to us after you've been a nurse for a few years, RNstudentK. Walk a mile in our shoes and see if you sing the same song.

RNstudentK · Jun 22, 2003

Wow, some of you people have a serious chip on your shoulder. So much bitterness.

Hardknox,

My first post and all I get for a response is walk a mile in our shoes? Why not try walking a mile in my shoes. Some of you people make it sound like you have the one and only most demanding job in the world. Get a grip on reality. I worked with the most difficult, mentally ill, dangerous, and challenging people for long hours and under sub-par conditions. All you have to say is walk a mile in our shoes?

Again...backed up into a corner...and your reply to my honest and respectful answer was demeaning and callous. I don't understand you???? you are a nurse, right??? Why so hostile and bitter to a nursing student who like other nursing students look up to you and follow in your footsteps to become good nurses. Is this what you are going to say to every eager nursing student only wanting what's best for the patient is. "Walk a mile and our shoes and see if you sing the same song." I also cannot understand why you single out and label people (i.e. "nursing student" and "Nurse Practitioner). Yes. we may have different titles but we all went into the medical profession for a reason...To help... Your answer has not explained to me why it is ok not to care anymore...why it is ok to practice negligance and leave a patient's bedside. I know in my heart that I cannot leave a sick patient waiting for his/her pain med to go and picket.

Again, this is my opinion. I welcome intelligent and respectful thoughts on what I am writing. I do not welcome cold and callous remarks. This may be a "touchy" subject with many but I know that RESPECT can go a long way. Take a step back and think before you reply.

Thank you :-)

funnygirl_rn · Jun 22, 2003

Give it a rest.

RNstudentK · Jun 22, 2003

Again...is that your answer. What does, "Give it a rest," mean??? I really hope that every nurse is not like this...Is this what you would say to a nursing student who has many questions and thoughts on a subject...Don't speak your mind, just nod your head and follow everyone else. I am sorry but that is not a very good answer. Again, I welcome respectful and understandable thoughts.