heartholder

we are SEIU service employees international union. and we are trying but that is a good suggestion. if everyone would only stay for 2 hours. they even manditory people on their days off. can you believe that!!! we just voted down the last offer made by the hospital yesterday. so I wonder if they will offer another one. last contract we gave notice of intent to strike. but at the last minute the union voted the contract. at the insistance of the union. our biggest complaint is fair wages and fair treatment of all employees. they are giving the nurses more than the techs. and of course another big issue is the overtime. I have went to management before when I felt I wasn't safe ( I had been at work for 21 hours straight) and told them that if they didn't get me relief. that I would document it. they found me relief.

the circulator can sit, as long as they face the field. I don't sit very often, but when I do, I pull up a prep table with my paper work and face the sterile field. I also put extra suture, laps and whatever I think the scrub may need during the case. One reason I don't sit is that as soon as I sit the scrub, surgeon or anesthesia needs something.

Pj the union at our hosptial is getting better, but the last offer by managment doesn't address mandatory overtime or staffing. and today......at least 3 RNs were mandatoried to work over. I know I was one of them and I am an occasionial nurse. I really wasn't mandatoried but I stayed for the patient. to management we are people with a life. we are bodies there to do a job... and there are times that I need a second person in the room. today I did a thyroid. and the surgeon sent out 11 frozen sections!!! it was a busy day. and I am so tired. but I still love what I do. but the management says because of the union we can't have a career ladder or any type of incentive to better ourselves. as a matter of fact, in the last contract they took away the bonus to be certifide, ie: CNOR, ACLS. I am kind of wandering. sorry.

OH yea Pj....here in the south. wages are LOW. I am a nurse with 11 years experience and at my hospital (which is the only one in East Tennessee) top wages for a RN is a whopping $19.24 /hour with $20 an 8 hour shift call pay. we have voted down the last contract offer. because of mandatory overtime and lack of staff. Management is poor and yes there is a lack of teamwork also. I love what I do but get so frustrated on a daily basis. I hate the bull****. I am one of the lucky ones, I now work occasionial ie: 4 days a week. and I get premium pay. an extra $5 /hour.

Shevalove, I went into the OR right out of school. The orientation is longer for new graduates now. It was six months for me. it is now a nine month orientation for new grads. and 3 months for nurses with experience. I love the OR and have never worked in any other part of the hospital. But a part of me has always wondered about working in the units or ER. what do you all think, can I do it?? I have been a nurse since 91. and have done nothing but OR, but I have done some traveling. thanks Joy

wow. where i work there is a form for the or staff to fill out, if a surgeron is abusive. then at the next surgery section meeting the doctor in question is brought before his peers. i recently "wrote a surgeon up" it was the first time i had ever done anything like that] this surgeon is known for his attitude. and i usually overlook his tantrums. this time he wouldn't stop. just keep it up over and over again. his actions and verbal abuse was undermining the skills of the 2 nurses in the room, we called manager to the room, the manager ran like a scalded dog, then the charge nurse of service was called. did the charge back us up?? no. no one did. so i took matters into my own hands. did what i thought i had to do. so far i haven't had to work with that surgeon again. i have heard that he is more pleasant to work with. so maybe there is hope. this is the readers digest version. but bottom line is, where i work there is a policy against abusive behavior from surgeons. even if management doesn't back us up.

is there an instrument count sheet? the kind that comes with the sterile insturments. if so, the you as the circle can demand that your scrub count the instruments. just to make sure that the total on the sheet matches the actual number of instruments. we always count on open cavity cases. I even count on smaller cases just to be sure the count sheet is correct. I knew one nurse that worked at a hospital that I was a travel nurse at, she said where they came from, they didn't count instruments (on open hearts!) but that the hospital insurance covered them. I never did understand that. sorry if this is confusing.

I work what is called POP ( premium occasional pay) I work 32 hours a week and get $5 more an hour. but that means no vacation or sick time either. I am also required to work 2 holidays a year and 4 weekends, so far I have worked one holiday and no weekends. I work in the OR. but I am the only POP nurse they have. I could work part-time or full-time and not take the insurance (my husband carries the insurance) with no compensation for not taking the hospitals terrible insurance. so I just work my hours and save the difference for my vacations and sick time......one perk is I can not be made to do OT.

where I work there is LESS than a $2 difference between a newbie and a nurse with 5 years experience. yea, you top out at 5 years. I have 11 years experience and some a brand new nurse can make More than me by working nights. I left once for a year to do travel nursing. Came back due to family matters. It is sad that my hospital doesn't pay a lot for the experience. matter of fact, my hospital pays more for new grads than any hospital around. just my 2 cents.

I have to agree... I have learned so much...I feel much more confident, and that is a great feeling...I have been an OR nurse for 10 years and started traveling this year...I have tried a couple of different companies...because I am limited to the areas that I will go to.... like I said in a previous reply...I am a homebody...and my hubby stays at home while I do the travel thing. he has to work and he carries the insurance...so I am limited on the areas that I will travel too. and yes check out the travel company before you ... talk to the travelers in your area ...the ones that I have talked to have traveled with different companies....

I am a new (well kinda) traveler...I am on my third assignment I just extended here in Nashville,Tn doing CTOR (CardioThoracic Operating Room) it is great here in Nashville, lots of travelers where I am ...I am the only RN traveler...the others are CST's....I am a home body so I don't go out much....but I do like the traveling...no more politics.... just my 2 cents worth:p

it is really sad:o that OR nurses make so little money...the responsability that we have is unreal...the hospital were I was a staff nurse for 10 years gave NO wage difference between specialty nurses and floor nurses....I am NOT saying that floor nurses aren't important...but the OR is a closed department...when we are short staffed, they can't pull from the floor or units or anywhere...that is one of the reasons I decided to try travel nursing for a while...for me it is better pay, no politics and if I don't like where I am .....in 13 weeks I am in a different hospital....

OR Nurse ...my speciality is Open hearts. was staff nurse for 10 years in East Tenn. I topped out on pay after 5 years @ 18.98/hour I am now a travel nurse in Nashville,TN making over 25/hour with apt furnished and paid. I also did a 13 week assignment in Chattanooga,Tn making nice pay:D :D