Nursing issues that need change

cannoli · Dec 10, 2003

I don't work in a unionized state either.

If all nurses joined together statewide or nationwide and stood together they could make effective change.

jtfreel · Dec 17, 2003

I would like to address not what 'they are doing to us' but what 'we' are doing to ourselves.

1. As a profession, have we elevated complaining to an art form?

2. A sense of 'victimization' appears to be the norm. Are we forgetting that we are willing victims if we routinely fail to confront people or issues.

3. Other professions do not have to attack us-we do a great job of ensuring that nursing does not unify by continuing the age old battles without resolution. Most studies and surveys reflect that 99% of others do not care whether our educational background is ADN, diploma or BSN as long as they are cared for by a competent nurse. We have many in all levels who have a personal agenda and need that secondary gain to keep the fight going. It makes us look immature.

4. We have adopted the practice of initials. Read any nursing articles and see how many initials follow the author's name. We may be attempting to dazzle with credentials in the hopes of earning desired respect.

5. As a profession, we seem to care more about what others think about us than what we think about ourselves.

6. We no longer look clean and neat.

7. Hopefully we do not fit the phrase, 'professional aspirations in a blue collar reality.'

live4today, RN · Dec 17, 2003

Originally posted by efy2178
........................................................................................
1. What problems are you confronted with on a regular basis that keeps you from performing the kind of nursing you think is needed today?

3. What one thing would you change right now that might encourage you to stay in nursing? What one thing is keeping you in nursing?

4. Is abuse from physicians, co-workers or administrators keeping you from doing your job well?

5. Do you believe you have a sya and administration will listen to you without repercussions when you are confronted with a problem that you need admin help with?

#1.............I would like to see "no visiting hours" before a.m. patient care and patient assessment completed. Those visiting hours should be strongly enforced. This is a very crucial time for the nurses to assess their patients, review the patient's labwork, report any findings that need immediately addressed to the patients doctor, and answer questions the patients may have without the interference of visitors jumping in and answering for the patient. Our ability to assess our patients adequately is dependent on "subjective and objective" findings that are often interfered with by some visitors/family. Each shift change should be given an hour to make rounds on patients being assigned to a new nurse. During this shiftchange, again visiting hours need to be enforced. Having visiting hours "open from 11 to 8" every day is NOT what I call allowing time for the nurses to address the patients needs without interferences from visitors. Visiting hours should be restricted after lunch to allow our patients rest periods that many of them desperately need but cannot have due to a room full of noise, visitors who won't let them sleep, etc. The patients are interrupted enough by the hospital personnel tending to their needs.

#3............(a) The one thing that I would encourage to be changed about nursing is the number of patients per nurse. It is very difficult and unfair to my patients to have to wait so long to have their nursing and medical needs met during their hospitalization simply because nurses are spread too thin.

(b)My love for helping others keeps me in nursing. I miss doing patient care when I'm not doing it. I pray for each of my patients every day, and pray for the patients as a whole as I am riding to work each day. They are important to me, and that is why I love being a nurse.

#4............I find most doctors to be professionally kind and helpful. I've only met three doctors in my 17 years as a nurse who have major attitude problems. They tend to think the sun rises and sets on them alone, and what they want when they want it and dont' get it causes them to put me down as a nurse. Hellooooo.........fix the patient/nurse ration and the wait for the patient and what needs to be done for the patient at the doctor's request will be a lot easier to manage. Doctors like that are the ones who need a course in professional manners and how to work cooperatively with the nurses who desire to give their patients the ultimate care. Doctors like that need to come down off their high horse and realize we are all in this together, and they are NOT better than nurses just because they chose the medical side of the health profession and we chose the nursing side of the health profession. Patients depend on both, so both should get along without trying to assert themselves over one another. Keep the patient in mind at all times, and leave personal issues out of the equation and things could only improve overall.

#5...........My answer to your number five question is a big fat resounding NO! :nono: Reason why I no longer have a job because I was driven to the point of saving what sanity I have left and protect my nursing license. The person responsible is my former nurse manager who needs a course in professional manners and how to deal with conflict when it comes to addressing matters that arise with nurses on the unit.

That's my $.02 for now. :nurse:

passing thru · Dec 17, 2003

I love sloejoe's # 7.

elish954 · Dec 17, 2003

I was so glad to see this subject matter concerning issues that need to be addressed with our profession.

I am so frustrated with my profession that I have found it difficult to stay at numerous facilities due to low staffing, by choice, in our area, and ultimately, unsafe nursing care.

Even though we hear about the Not For Profit healthcare facilities, they are indeed making a profit.

When we, in our area see how much unneeded remoldeling, new surgical sites(we really do not need any more in our area where there is a glut of them), some have questioned why some of the profit monies are not put toward hiring more staff to enable much safer care for our patients, are told that porfits must be put back into the facility, and not allowed for hiring more staff. Come on now, give me a break.

Hospitals are now mainly run/owned by corporations, and many, I am afraid might believe that profit is the bottom line even at the expense of safe care. How many of the CEO's really even understand providing first hand safe care? Do they even have a degree/background in the medical field?

Let me also make a comment concerning the nursing shortage. There is none at all in our area of Ohio. In fact, they just keep eliminating more staff to the point that many should fear being a patient admitted in house today or a family member of said patient.

I sincerely realize that there may indeed be a shortage in some areas, but not ours. This is not to say that they do not advertise as needing staff, but, I know people who have been interviewed, but we find months later that they never even hired anyone. Is this done for a reason? I don't know, but cannot help but question what is really going on here. It is NOT due to a reduction in clients for sure.

Every time I hear a comment made by a patient or their family members as to incompetant care, I inform them that they really need to contact administration, because that is where the real problem arose anyway. The staff can complain all they want up the corporate ladder, but to not avail.

Some mention that what it is going to take is for patients and their family members to start questioning just how/why their loved one died, or had some other life-threatening situation occur. High dollar lawsuits for the neglect which may have caused such tramas will hopefully hit these corporations responsible in their pockets and they may finally realize that they have made a grave error at the expense of human lives.

I understand fully why so many are leaving this "caring" profession. Who would have thought about getting a degree in this field only to neglect and not nurture due to low and unsafe staffing concerns.

I believe this is happening worldwide, and also believe it is mainly a greed factor. Money is indeed the most motivating factor. I am tired of hearing complaints blaming only Medicare reimbursment and the insurance companies. Okay, perhaps to some extent, but what about all the money basically wasted on remoldeling, new surgical sites etc. to spend the aforementioned profits?

All I can say is that most nurses out there today want more than anything to be able to provide our clients with the safest care possible. We want so much to nurture, not neglect, and hope we will be around to once again be there for our clients in all the ways necessary to provide safe care.

Best regards to all.

efy2178 · Dec 17, 2003

I couldn't agree with you more Elish954! My sentiments exactly.

Today I opened the newspaper and found out one of the affiliate hospitals in Dubuque unionized. This is the way to get your say!

Call United American Nurses if you want a union that is RN's about RN's! SEIU is also making a lot of headway.

Congradulations to the RN's in Dubuque for getting it together. Now the rest of Iowa Health Systems needs to get it togethere!

kellilou3 · Dec 17, 2003

Originally posted by efy2178
Call United American Nurses if you want a union that is RN's about RN's!

I was looking around on the UAN website and found this link that lists 2004 Presidential candidates' responses to questions asked by the UAN. Very interesting!

http://www.nursingworld.org/uan/responses.htm

elish954 · Dec 17, 2003

thanks for the response efy2178. i am going to get on a newspaper search for debuque to see if i can find the article you mentioned so i can copy/print/forward it to many of the rns in my area who are not unionized. :roll :roll :roll

Agnus · Dec 18, 2003

Originally posted by jtfreel
I would like to address not what 'they are doing to us' but what 'we' are doing to ourselves.

1. As a profession, have we elevated complaining to an art form?
2. A sense of 'victimization' appears to be the norm. Are we forgetting that we are willing victims if we routinely fail to confront people or issues.
3. Other professions do not have to attack us-we do a great job of ensuring that nursing does not unify by continuing the age old battles without resolution. Most studies and surveys reflect that 99% of others do not care whether our educational background is ADN, diploma or BSN as long as they are cared for by a competent nurse. We have many in all levels who have a personal agenda and need that secondary gain to keep the fight going. It makes us look immature.
4. We have adopted the practice of initials. Read any nursing articles and see how many initials follow the author's name. We may be attempting to dazzle with credentials in the hopes of earning desired respect.
5. As a profession, we seem to care more about what others think about us than what we think about ourselves.
6. We no longer look clean and neat.
7. Hopefully we do not fit the phrase, 'professional aspirations in a blue collar reality.'

AMEN! some one gets it.

cannoli · Dec 18, 2003

Originally posted by Agnus
AMEN! some one gets it.

So what's your solution?