Nursing Strike

U.S.A. California

Published

Curious about what my peers think about the nursing strikes in California and the recent pt death.

I am a striking nurse who was locked out of my hospital. I went on strike to keep nursing a career that attracts and keeps the best people. We are trained professionals who love our patients and love being nurses, but the corporate bosses were to treating us like worthless chattel. They presented a long list of takeaways and were unwilling to negotiate over any of it. It is a sad day when nonprofit hospitals start acting like for profit corporations who constantly threaten layoffs and takeaway benefits from nurses and patients while giving themselves fat raises. It felt powerful to unify and take a stand.

However, I am now seriously questioning my right to strike and if indeed I have placed my pts in danger. Oncology is too intense of a practice to view nurses as interchangable commodities. While a mistake could have been made by anyone at any time the reality is less mistakes are likely when nursing is practiced by a consistent team of experienced RN's. My heart goes out to the family of the pt as well as to the traveling RN who made the med error and I am just heartsick over it all.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am betting you could find thousands of nurses that would love to be in Sutter's nursing shoes right now averaging over 130K a year.....

I have a hard time feeling a lot of empathy if this salary is true. That is almost 40K more than I make as a military CRNA.

Keep in mind that an older 3-bedroom house is going to cost $800k+ in this region (San Francisco, Burlingame, etc.). A 1-bedroom apartment will rent for nearly $2,000 per month. The pay is significantly higher to account for the outrageous cost of living in the SF Bay area.
Specializes in Anesthesia.
Keep in mind that an older 3-bedroom house is going to cost $800k+ in this region (San Francisco, Burlingame, etc.). A 1-bedroom apartment will rent for nearly $2,000 per month. The pay is significantly higher to account for the outrageous cost of living in the SF Bay area.

I can understand that, and I can understand needing to make 70-80k plus to be able to live in that area.

A replacement nurse is an R.N. I used to work as a traveler and took a permanent position at a hospital I had a temporary contract with. I am a very experienced R.N. and have made mistakes-just as every nurse has. The nurses on strike did not make a mistake, the hospital did not make a mistake. The nurse who gave the wrong med made the mistake. A HUGE mistake, and my heart goes out to her/him. Isn't this the nightmare that all nurses dread come to life. We may sit here and think "oh I would never do that" and maybe you would not, but you and I are capable of other mistakes-ones that could cause someones death. I feel for all involved. What I am upset about is to see the union-my union- use this as politics to blame the hospital. If a staff nurse would have made this mistake who the union blame then? The hospital. This was an AWFUL tragedy that as nurses we can learn from as a reminder that we are all capable of mistakes and the importance of reading our meds and routes and administration instructions.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F09%2F27%2FMN4C1L9Q2L.DTL

Here is the article related to the patients death. I honestly don't know how you make that mistake, by infusing the patients g-tube feed into her IV instead. Having said that I feel for that nurse but also the patient and her family. Yes we are all human and can be prone to make mistakes but I would have to question how experienced this nurse was to begin with. Always always always remember your 5 rights!!!

When was tubing changed so that they wouldn't mate? Is it possible that the hospital found a source of tubing that was cheaper and does mate?

The mistake was made probably by a nurse who had worked too many hours and with some problem with the tubing. I live and work in Louisiana and have not seen tube feeding and iv tubing that was compatible for years. Actually the last time I saw that was 1978

Specializes in Anesthesia.

The only thing I can figure out is that the tube feeding end was shoved into one of the needless ports. The nurse must have shoved it in so hard it stayed on it's own or rigged it up where it stayed.

Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

You and I are replaceable. If you were not able to work for whatever reason someone would fill the gap. I understand your concern, but it's not your fault that a traveler made a mistake, you could have made one too. At some point in time you have to take care of your fiscal well-being and your future as a retiree. If you don't advocate for yourself, who else will? If the situation was bad enough to strike, then negotiations were not being worked out in your favor. If you are a nurse because you want to help the world at the expense of yourself and your own personal responsibilities, then be a nun and work for the church-sell off all your possessions and live off the charity of others.

Specializes in Tele/med surg/step-down, Cardiology.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F09%2F27%2FMN4C1L9Q2L.DTL

Here is the article related to the patients death. I honestly don't know how you make that mistake, by infusing the patients g-tube feed into her IV instead. Having said that I feel for that nurse but also the patient and her family. Yes we are all human and can be prone to make mistakes but I would have to question how experienced this nurse was to begin with. Always always always remember your 5 rights!!!

I read the article and then a lot of the comments from people! Wow there are some mean people writing in!! This is a HUGE misstake made by a probably very inexperienced nurse, but to slam all agency nurses is a huge slap in the face!! I am trying for my first travel position and I don't like the idea of being called a scab. No I don't plan on going to cover any stikes, but is that what they think of all agency nurses? I do question sometimes if all nurses are put in the right locations when they take a job. I have to say it does blow my mind that anyone could make this type of misstake. Not that misstakes don't happen, but that is why one checks, rechecks and triple checks!! I am afraid this young nurses licenses is on the line?!

Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

I have been a travelling nurse and I liked it alot. Did it for 4 years and learned alot. I have also met some of the best nurses that were travelers. Like everything else, judging these nurses is showing insecurity and elitism. Don't be a hater. Don't be jealous. You too have choices. I'm personally glad there are those who can fill gaps and are able to move about to help with staffing shortages, whatever the reason. Patient's needs must be met and that is one option.

Specializes in Tele Step Down, Oncology, ICU, Med/Surg.

I don't think the vitrol is directed towards travelers but to the ones who make a living crossing picket lines. We would not have nursing ratios in California if it weren't for striking nurses. Scabs undermine that.

Striking is the only way to go when talks go no-where. It is a terrible situation that occurred. I cannot believe that she put a entire 1litre hanging into an IV port. We do not know yet the true details. I feel very bad for her as she is a mess now. Some of you are going to think I am heartless but, thank goodness this did not happen to a post surgical healthy person. This poor woman was at the end of her life. This does not mean she did not deserve to live longer; just fact. There will now be many law suits. The hospital, the nursing agency all have insurance and this will not make a difference in the salaries of the managers, etc. They will try to use this situation to their advantage and blame it on staff striking. Again, people out there thinking CA nurses make too much $ and ought to be happy. This strike was NOT about an increase in salary.

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