LADS4

I think all nurses should be unionized. I work at a union hospital in Pa, and we just negotiated one the best contracts in Pa. We have protection from unjust practices from management, no mandatory ot/ limited pulling to other areas of the hospital, pull pay, chg pay, most senior nurses can take 3 weeks vac in the summer, ability to bid on jobs throughout the hospital, some units have nurse patient ratios, tuition assistance, the best salary/benefit package in Pa. Our union is very active in trying to get some legislation passed regarding mandatory overtime/ nurse patient ratios. So please don't think that union are a wast of your money beccause their not. They help us gain the respect that we deserve as educated men and women who give direct patient care. REMEMBER NURSES SAVE LIVES 24/7 365!

A Rapid Response team will be starting where I work tommorrow, and we wish that there were a md or resident to accompany us. I think that a physician needs to be at the bedside for certain emergency's. Physicians at my hospital are always wanting to treat the patient by phone instead of coming to the bedside where they belong. I know that the nurses are very good at my hospital but, we are concerned that they want us to leave our alreadly critically ill patients and not give us any additional staff. What is the liability issue for the rest of the nurses that are left on the floor who may already be swamped with their own patients?