Somebody must be stuck in the Twlight Zone!

[-jt]

Ever feel like youre on a merry-go-round that wont stop???

Everybody in the world is talking about the "shortage" of nurses & healthcare workers who are willing to work in hospitals and now, at the same time, nurses & healthcare workers are being laid off. What the heck is going on????????

For immediate release:

Mount Sinai Nurses

to Protest LAYOFFS!

Picketing on Thursday, March 21

NEW YORK, March 14, 2002 - Proposed layoffs at The Mount Sinai Hospital will further threaten patient care, according to the facility's registered nurses. As a result, the nurses plan to express their frustration over this situation with an informational picket from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, in front of the hospital on Fifth Avenue between 98th and 101st streets

Insufficient staffing has already been cited by the State Health Department as a factor in the death of a patient at the facility in January, and additional layoffs will only make matters worse, the nurses say. (See: "Mt Sinai Hit On Death" http://www.nydailynews.com/2002-03-13/News_and_Views/City_Beat/a-144249.asp?last6days=1 )

The nurses, represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), are trying through their current contract negotiations to develop solutions to the hospital's staffing problems. But management refuses to even acknowledge that there is a problem, and is continuing with its plan to cut an estimated 450 positions.

So far, 15 registered nurse positions have been eliminated and NYSNA anticipates there will be more. An entire unit has already been shut down, a move that NYSNA believes is the result of irresponsible cost cutting that has no regard for the needs of patients.

Furthermore, despite management's public assertion that few of the proposed layoffs would involve direct patient care, NYSNA contends that staff cuts in areas such as housekeeping would leave responsibility for their duties in the hands of registered nurses. This, in turn would further draw RNs away from their bedside patient care duties.

NYSNA represents 1,821 RNs at the Upper East Side facility. Their most recent three-year contract expired on January 1.

With more than 33,000 members, NYSNA is the leading organization for registered nurses in New York state and is one of the largest representatives of RNs for collective bargaining in the nation. A multi-purpose organization, NYSNA fosters high standards for nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity.

For more information, call Mark Genovese at NYSNA [phone], Ext. 353.>>>>

http://www.nysna.org

[-jt]

yup - Ford Pinto - the frying pan on wheels.

I think hospital lawyers have the same policy.

Take the chance that it wont happen to everybody & if it does happen to a few, its still cheaper to just pay them some money & they'll go away.

PS

I remember reading about a hospital in Canada (Alberta?) that did a study by having RNs run the place & saw significant improvements. Wonder what ever happened to that.

[fergus51]

Yes jt, I saw that study too. Besides, there have been plenty of studies to show that more nurses=better care. Some hospitals have even gone back to all nurse staffs instead of a nurse, an NA, a PCT, etc.

The same thing happened here in Canada in the early 1990s. They were laying off nurses left and right so a lot had to move to the US to find work. Nursing classes were running less than half full. Now they wonder why we don't have any nurses...

[OC_An Khe]

This is definitly a bean counters philosophy with regard to acceptable losses. Thats monetary loss as human life doesn't enter into their equations. Remember they were taught that way. Also US laws are designed to protect and compensate for property loss more than loss of life.

Yes hospitals run by RNs would be an improvement. How about it being mandatory that RNs are independent members of the Board of Directors of hospitals.That is where the real decisions and priorities are made.

Dreaming, maybe, but I was taught if you work hard enough dreams can come true.

[lisadavis]

i worked in a hospital once that was run by nuns. when the sisters started to phase out their control the new ceo was an RN. you can tell a difference in a place that is run by nuns and nurses...IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of course the sad ending is the "BOARD" didn't think the hospital was efficient enough so they stuck their noses in and screwed everything up. i understand why nurses cannot manage everything(as a whole we are far too generous and would probably run the business into the ground) but we need to have more input into how the "industry" is run. we have got to get our act together and stop waiting for others to do it for us. Does anybody have any idea how many nurses are in this country? one hospital in my area employs 2000 nurses!!!!!!!!! what power we could have if we stopped fighting amongst ourselves!!!!!!!!

[micro, RN]

hey lisa,

workin in midwest also.............

agree with all said above............

what power we all could have if we stopped fighting amongst ourselves,

micro

[magicman]

And when is the last time you heard of an administrator taking a pay cut? Or layoffs in hospital administration? Or admins not receiving a bonus? Better than that...when's the last time you say an administrator out on the floor talking with patients about what was going on???? ANY administrator. DON, vice president of this or that...etc. Put THEM on the front lines dealing with the patients and their families and you might see a change. Take money away from THEM and things might change.

[micro, RN]

actually at my current place.....they do that.......could definitely do it more.......but attempt is made................

not disagreein, just always seeing two sides(or more in every situation)

[-jt]

ok we've just moved from the twilght zone to the outer limits!

First we have a very public 104 day strike by Rns for safe staffing levels, retention incentives, benefit improvements and restricting mandatory ot ---- and they obtained every item they struck for.

Nurses who had left the hospital began coming back.

Instead of learning from the ordeal this hospital just put itself through, another hospital not too far from that one thinks that nurse LAYOFFS is the answer to the nursing shortage - at the same time that the state says this hospitals own POOR STAFFING practices killed a healthy, elective surgery post op pt.

NOW....... another hospital there is demanding nurse GIVE-BACKS!! In this time of short supply and high demand of nurses, instead of making itself attractive to nurses to come work there, this looney administration wants GIVE BACKS! Oh yes...... perfect way to recruit new nurses and retain the current ones.... jussssssst perfect .........

For Immediate Release

"Claxton-Hepburn Nurses to Picket March 20

Ogdensburg, March 7, 2002 - Frustrated by several management giveback demands, registered nurses at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center served notice that they will picket the hospital on Wednesday, March 20.

During a negotiating session this afternoon, management refused to take several of its GIVE-BACK demands off the table.

The hospital is still seeking to create new positions that will ROTATE RNs freely between day and night shifts, require nurses to PAY MORE for their health coverage, and change the schedule of payment for new hires on 12-hour shifts.

In addition, the economic package offered by the hospital would NOT keep pace with those of other area institutions.

The nurses believe these provisions would make Claxton-Hepburn a less attractive employer for potential applicants - a situation that could only worsen its current staffing situation.

The picket is scheduled for 1:30 to 4:30 P.M. in front of the hospital at 214 King Street in Ogdensburg. The next scheduled negotiation date is April 2. (http://www.nysna.org) >>>>>

[Cascadians]

Cognitive dissonance in management.

They cannot stand to see nurses unite and improve their lot.

They are taking revenge and trying to oppress, turn back the clock.

Power war.

Idiots.

[DougD1]

OK, time for another movie analogy!

Remember the movie "The Right Stuff"when the line was spoken, "No Bucks, No Buck Rogers?" This is a money game, and it is sickening. My hospital just spent several milliion to put an elevator in a parking garage, yet we often cannot find a functional CP cuff or thermometer on the floor. They think this will attract more patients. Make no mistake, unless management is enlightened budget cuts often impact patient care, directly.

JT and Stargazer are right on- there is no rhyme or reason to these decisions that I can discern. But there has to be a reason,

we are just not privvy to the "Logic." It is mostly about money and power.

If memory serves the Pinto was alleged to have a design defect which during a rear impact was alleged to often perforate the fuel tank, and cause an inferno. Also it was alleged that due to a poor design the doors would often be inoperable at this time. Anybody remember the Saturday night Live moment when they had the Pinto Lighter?

Trivia- In the 1960s GMs Chevy division made a car known as the Corvair. During cornering this auto was alleged to become unstable and flip over. Lawyers were brought to bear and lawsuits ensued. The book that started it all? "Unsafe at any

Speed," authored by ................................... Ralph Nader.

Do we need someone to write "Unsafe at any Price?"