staffing - page 2

I worked at a non-profit hospital in nursing school, then graduated and moved home. Here I work at a corporate hospital, and there is such a HUGE difference! Dumped on and treated like crap are the two phrases which come to mind about my new hospital. Staffing is dangerous, middle-management is over-worked and over-bit*@y, and staff nurses are miserable. Our physicians are leaving in droves thanks to our rediculous malpractice insurance problems. I personally feel like God called me into the field of nursing, but I am having difficulty understanding why the field is as screwed up as it is. I'm just trying to make a difference one patient at a time until the magic solution appears.

I truly feel that unionizing and learning to come together for the mutual good is what the magic solution will be for our nursing profession. We need strong leadership and some state associations are finally beginning to provide that---hope it spreads like wildfire!

Staff nurses today are struggling to hang on in intolerable conditions--manipulated, and used like slave laborers or indentured servants----but hospitals will continue to make their profits off our backs as long as we stand for it, IMO.

I trained in a union environment then moved to Texas due to my hubby's job. My pay is better here, but conditions worse in many ways. My union hospital provided nurses with a voice and a way of airing grievances without being penalized...every negative incident with management (understaffing, lack of supplies, bad conditions, etc) was filed in triplicate; the hospital was much more careful with us, believe me! LOL!

Unions will not automatically solve ALL our problems but IMHO they are a great start.....we need NURSING unions though, not service worker union types, in order to truly make professional gains.

I haven't read all the posts yet...But I'm wondering how you keep your Level II status....with the staffing that you have stated??