Pizza on tuesday

[DebRN06]

Had a unit meeting last week. It ended up being a 3 HOUR complain-fest. The director opened it up saying we have had a lot of complaints from MD's, pts and families. She wanted to know from our point of view what the problems were and how they can be fixed. Everyone actually spoke up. Every single person said we have too many pts with too high an acuity. We are overwhelmed, the unit is a unorganized, not enough supplies...you name it, we said it.

After 2 hrs the director ended up getting a little defensive. She was going down the list of "problems" and wanted a "fix" for each problem and the answer from us each time was better staffing/ratios, as that is the main problem. She started saying she did not understand how we could not keep up and how she was in critical care (about 30 yrs ago) and her pts were much more critical. She was also saying stupid things like, "well, if you only have 4 pts and you have to call a rapid response or code on all 4 you will still be busy and overwhelmed, right?" I still don't get her point there. I guess it means she has found a way for lightening to strike us, too.

Anyway...at the end of the meeting, she smiles and says, "OK, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU GUYS WANT FROM ME???" :banghead:

Ummmm, hello??? Were you present the last 3 HOURS?? We all sat there with our mouths open, and then, sarcastically I said, "Yeah, pizza on tuesday." :chuckle

At least I got 3hrs OT and a free lunch... even though I'd rather be able to provide better care for my pts

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I've attended these meetings. I've brought viable solutions to the table. However, those solutions typically aren't free of cost to the organization, which means they are considerably less interested in fixing the problem than they indicated. A 'fix' that costs the company absolutely nothing? Ok, they'll think about it. A definite maybe. But a solution that COSTS them something? Safe to assume you have wasted your breath.

I am definitely in favor of not complaining unless you have a reasonable solution. Trouble is, even with those solutions presented, you can bet that there's an administrator (or two) who have reasons to NOT go with your plan, so therefore it doesn't happen.

So just what occured for the OP? The administration has had an open-forum meeting, where they asked all the employees for input and suggestions for fixing the low satisfaction within the departments. This gave the impression that the company cared what the employees thought. It gave the impression that they really wanted to involve the employees in creative problem-solving. And yet, the employees all had the same explanation for the problem (too high a ratio of patients to nurses); even with that knowledge, administration will be doing NOTHING to change that.

And, so, what's the upshot? The summary of the meeting (to management) will be that none of the employees had a solid plan of action to correct the problem, and that there was no real progress made. Answer? Stop having the meetings. They are a waste of management time.

Sigh.

[DebRN06]

Likely, this was your director's passive aggressive way of telling you all to do better the way things are. After all, she cant understand how you cant keep up. Her patients were much more critical than yours....Maybe suggest that she come work a day on the floor and show you how it's done.

I nearly bit my tongue off making sure I didn't let that one out of my mouth. I really, really wanted to say that...and now wish I would have.

Everything that was said in that meeting is nothing new to her. Many of us have talked to her about it all numerous times. She does not care. Does not hear us. She needs to make sure that she makes budget so she can get her bonus (on the backs of her staff & the pts). Towards the end of last year, we were close to going over budget and things got really tight and worse then ever. Staff was being called off. PCTs were always having >13 pts on days (this, on a unit where most pts are full assists). She decided not to allow sitters anymore (which continues to this day). Then, she is surprised that falls have increased?????

She was really trying to get us to say that there was no teamwork, that there are lazy RNs and PCTs, that we have bad attitudes, that we don't answer call-lights and phones, etc, etc, etc... what was really getting to me, was the select few that kept givng her what she wanted. I had to keep interjecting that this is NOT how it is and that the huge majority (honestly, there are only maybe 2-3 bad apples) of staff work together well, will help anyone... There was one point that finally I had to say I was not going to let it be turned around on us, we are really hard, caring, competent workers and that many of us remain on that unit only because we really like our co-workers...many then agreed and got the hint that we had to stick together and not give her what she really wanted, which was to turn it all against us and to turn us against eachother.

There is a meeting that is held for newer staff to meet with the CEO. It is another joke. It is claimed to be for new staff to be able to say what they think of the hospital/department (good & bad) and to suggest improvement, etc. Month after month the CEO is told of the problems on our unit by newer staff. He is another one that does not listen, becomes defensive and shrugs you off. They send out an email of what was said in the meeting and let the Directors of the departments respond. Our director has the same BS reply every time. It is just another another way for mgmt to pretend they care about their employees and pts... Another waste of time. Another problem is that many in mgmt have been at this hospital since the day it opened. They all have eachother's backs.

Some of us have talked about getting together and writing an anonymous letter to the CEO of the whole network, as rumor has it another department did this and that there were many positive changes. But, we are nervous to do that as we need our jobs and there is always the possibility of things actually getting worse and it turning around and biting us in the butt.

I am stuck there for another year. So, part of me just wants to keep quiet until then... It is so frustrating!! This place makes me so mad, sad, disappointed, etc.

[Batman24]

Some of us have talked about getting together and writing an anonymous letter to the CEO of the whole network, as rumor has it another department did this and that there were many positive changes. But, we are nervous to do that as we need our jobs and there is always the possibility of things actually getting worse and it turning around and biting us in the butt.

I am stuck there for another year. So, part of me just wants to keep quiet until then... It is so frustrating!! This place makes me so mad, sad, disappointed, etc.

They are banking on your fear to keep you quiet and in line. Send the letter if you feel strongly about it. It's a shame none of you feel comfortable signing it but if it had positive changes with a different department in the past do it again. You are already stressed out and working with unhealthy ratios. How much worse could it get?!

If you don't speak up the cycle will continue and after you leave you will always have the "what ifs" which is a hard thing to live with. Make the CEO aware. I have a hunch he will know the letter holds a lot of truths.

[BradleyRN]

Some of us have talked about getting together and writing an anonymous letter to the CEO of the whole network. I am stuck there for another year. So, part of me just wants to keep quiet until then... It is so frustrating!!

Make the CEO aware.

If there were a way to do this anonymously, i would recommend it. Unfortunately, it is hard to change a system while being dependent upon it for money. The leader of such a tactic will be the one ultimately disciplined in one way or another. And at the same time, it is hard to trust many nurses, who may sell you out to brown nose the management. And all to effect a change that is unlikely to occur, since it is one that has probably been an issue for years. It is a sad tragedy, but without the help of groups like the California Nurses Association, we are simply too weak. Im not saying people havent done it, just that it was a hard road to take.

[DebRN06]

"Uh, yeah ... could you maybe resign? We'll take our chances with a new candidate.".

:chuckle :chuckle I like that!! Luckily, I didn't think of that one!