Over it.

[ParrotHead_RN]

I've been in dialysis for a short year and a half. It's just now becoming real to me. Working for a big corporation is the equivalent of punching yourself in the face. Foot checks, glucometer (with no insulin on hand), now they are adding a pain assessment to the care plans. Trying to this these things while being short staffed and having to work a station AND nurse. It's not safe. My managers hands are tied and are at the mercy of the higher ups for approving requests to hire PCTs. They have been stalling. It's all about the money. The profits. The bonuses. Not about the patients or the employees. All of the clinics in my surrounding area are short staffed. The turnover rate is insane. They think making a bulletin board in clinic break rooms will boost morale.....legit. hahaha. What a joke. It's sad because I really do love dialysis. I adore the patients. I enjoy knowing we can make life a little more manageable for them. The corporate crap is ridiculous. The company I work for owns dialysis machines, a pharmacy, their own lab, etc etc. Don't tell me the profits aren't there. They are making more money than they know what to do with. Corporate greed. Sorry I'm just venting. I know corporate greed is everywhere, especially in health care. It's just sad. We are the mercy of corporate CEOs who don't give a single **** about the patients well being or the people taking care of them. Something has gotta give or in time there will be no nurses left.

[Chisca, RN]

A system drained of all compassion except that which you, as a nurse, can provide. Yeah, it's pretty depressing but I try to put myself in the patients place and let that guide my conduct. But even a system that removes the profit model can be devoid of humanity. A Canadian film The Barbarian Invasions illustrates it perfectly. Hallways clogged with patients awaiting treatment, staff protected by unions and only responding to bribes, rules that deny treatment because it is too costly. Hard not to be cynical.

[idodialysis]

FYI it's not your company (Fresenius?) mandating pain assessments , it is CMS=government beaurocrats. They are also rolling out mandatory depression screenings. But , yes, the staffing ratios are not satisfactory for good patient care.

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

I couldn't be in a clinic...I'm doing acutes and prefer it...bless any of you guys that do clinic full time!