Nursing work ethics

[kylifesaver1]

Why is it that in such a demanding profession Nurses work ethics suck! I have worked in the medical field since 2003 and it never seems to fail that in the medical profession with nurses and I may add CNA's there is so many that have horrible work ethics. Either they are calling in all the time, being late, or being lazy on the job. I have even seen nurses try to call in because they are hungover and come to work hungover when they are forced to (How safe is that?) Or have a nurse that has been out drinking all night stop on her way home at a car accident and call in because she is both hungover and has been at the car accident all night. Wow is all I can say, and yet these people still have a job. I know it is like this in every field, but I feel that the medical field should be held to a higher standard.

I know for a fact that one CNA i worked with left the floor and wasn't found for over two hours leaving the other CNA to 21 patients, yes he still has a job.

It isn't only that some of the new young nurses i have met, NOT ALL, oh I am 22 so I am going to act like a high schooler and not do my job and think I deserve to still be a kid and call in just because i don't want to work. So they call in when they want to go to concert's or things or when they want to go out drinking all night when they are supposed to be sick.

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I go to work as long as I can get out of bed. Heck I get up at 5:30 am every morning for work plus two nights a week I have school until 9:30/10 o'clock and drive the 45 minutes to get home and still get up and go to work the next day. It just makes me mad that others have to suffer because people can't get their act together or find another job.

The work I do now is being a School Nurse. It isn't what people think. I don't sit in a health office all day waiting for kids to say they are sick and such. Four days a week I am with a special needs child from the time he boards the bus to go to school until the time he get's home from school. One day a week I am going from one school to another doing whatever needs to be done from diabetic monitoring to intermittent caths. I get to be with some awesome kids. It is a great job even though I am not getting paid as much as people think a nurse should get paid. I never went into this profession to make money anyway, and yet there are still call ins everyday and one day there was even a no call/no show. This isn't a rough job, this isn't stressful, you patient's (the kids) are as sweet as can be. I don't understand this.

[Davey Do]

Why is it that in such a demanding profession Nurses work ethics suck!

We often measure Others' Standards by our own and we believe Others need to live up to those Standards. It's not saying that their Standards are necessarily wrong or bad, even though the examples you gave, kylifesaver, are pretty pitiful. It's just that Our Standards are different from theirs.

We have to do what we can: Curse the Darkness or Light a Candle, or just Live and Let Live. And most times, we don't have to like it, we only have to Accept it. People are going to be People.

I've been in this business for over 30 years and it still stymies me that Professional Caregivers can behave in such aberrant ways. I do what I can: Report when I have to or Rectify when I can. The Very Best anyone can ever be is a Strong Link- Even when those Links around you are weak or non-existant.

We never had to pass an Ethics Test, so to speak. We merely had to pass our Courses, Clinicals, and State Boards. Too bad we don't have to pass some sort of Ethics Tests that exposes Our Soul or Reveals our ability to be an competent, ethical Caregiver. But we didnt have to pass such a test. If we can can squeak our way through, we get to be in the Caregiving Club.

I also take it, kylifesaver, that you don't merely have Very High Standards. You are a Prodigy!

I have worked in the medical field since 2003 ...I am 22

The best to you.

Dave

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Happens in every profession.