RN130

We pointed out to our Magnet Surveyors that many of the components that made us a successful magnet candidate were actually advances that we had to fight for in our union contract. -- paid time for unit based councils that worked on practice and work life issues (not decor and parties) paid ed time, paid meeting time, nurse practice committee, STAFFING LEGISLATION -- yeah Washington --safe Lifting legislation. But if keeping the designation will motivate the Hospital to maintain those programs it will be a better thing.

For procedures try mosbys on line, document carefully. it sounds kind of weird, maybe you should run the other way....

Not really interested in switching Unions. One of the strongest things we have going is that this Union knows Prov from way back and does not back down.

Hi. We had lot's of fun. We Were in negotiations the whole day (till 2300). I have to say management seemd to be playing a very lawyer centered hard ball game and basically refusing to negotiate. delay delay and not interested--. Very sad, i really got a sense of the true depth of how little respect they have for their RN staff. This does bring nurses together tho--we know we have to take care of ourselves and each other because management is not on your side.

Providence St peter Hospital Nurses will be picketing the Hospital from 6 am to 8 pm on JULY 30th. Come Join Us to show support. All you nurses at Mason, Capital and Centralia know that your contract will follow as our has. And look out up north if we let the DWT get any take aways.... Solidarity Works.

You could be replacing me in a few weeks. We have been without a contract since March 1 and Negotiating since january.. Perhaps, before you become embroiled in such a situation, you should find out why the nurses are striking. From experience I can tell you that nurses do not come to this decision lightly. We are dealing with the largest cathloic healthcare organization on the west coast (Providence) and Davis Wright and Tremaine--the international law firm that wrote the book for management. We are run ragged for profit -- and can not give safe quality care. Our CBA protects us and gives us a voice in how the ceare will be provided for our patients-- Along with wages issues such as FMLA, meals and breaks, guarenteed shift start times, hours worked and staffing are still on the table. Is there a reason that you are signing up for this kind of work -- knowing, as you must that you are coming from outside and helping to destabilize the local nurses efforts at improving their working conditions?

Churchill: "trust The Americans To Do The Right Thing....after They Have Tried Every Thing Else." We Will Get To Single Payor--there Are Compelling Fiscal And Moral Reasons Why. Unfortunately Too Many People Are Making Too Much Profit To Give It Up Without A Fight.

In Some Fashion Nurses Need To Collectively Join Together To Make Their Voices Heard. If You Feel That You Can "negotiate" The Best Deal For Yourself--i Have No Way To Evaluate What You Think A "good Deal" Is. But For Nurses, Often It Is Not Such An "individual Case" Issue -- How Is Your Healthcare Benefit? Your Disability Plan? Vacation And Sick Leave.....those Are All Negotiated By The Employer For Groups --not Individuals. In Terms Of A Voice For Nursing Right Now It Is The Various Unions That Are Going To Management In Individual Cases And To The Legislature For Improving Working Conditions (no Mandatory Overtime/ Safe Lifting/staffing,meals And Breaks) For Everyone. How Do You Think Laws Regarding Nurse Practice, Education, Patient Safety, Insurance Coverage, Etc Come Into Play--groups Get Together Representing The Interests Of Their Members --if Your Hospital Is A Member Of A State Hospital Association That Is Their Union,

Ah, the devil is in the details.. I think it is vital that your Union -- certainly the Local is BY AND FOR NURSES. that being said, healthcare is big business and you need a National /International voice -- an umbrella organization. The strength of any Union is in it's members participation and the Internationals have different stuff to offer (education/training ect.. as well as a voice in lobbying.) Don't kid yourself we need representation in the state and national legislatures more than ever. Decisions are being made in the capitals that affect our work as nurses. Your Hospitals all belong to Hospital Associations who send lobbyists --in some fashion Nurses need lobbyists and if we join together we can afford to send people to represent NURSES. And yes Union employees do make more money and enjoy better working conditions across the board. What can you do? Meet with the Union leadership in your state and pick the Union you want based on your needs, the members must trust the integrity of their representatives and shop for the best fit for their group. You have more chioces now that we did 20 years ago. And once you get a union -- PARTICIPATE...

You are probably in Olympia now. Sorry to miss this post. Hope which ever one you are at you have found your nitch. Olympia loses alot of new nurses to Tacoma because of poor working conditions ,(30%turnover in first year/50% in second.) Sorry. It is tough /suck it up from the managers --I hope the staff treat you well....on my unit we try--but there is little extra energy for nurturing our new people.

Washington does not have Ratios -- when we tried for staffing legislation this year we really wanted acuity based staffing. Staffing based on the needs of the patients...What a concept. Our profit driven hospital has instituted a average/budget based system called the "Matrix" (remember the movie--where all the evil people are).. ahem... Any way I work in L&D and we get the same number of staff for 12 patients regardless of wether there are 10 "couplets" and 2 labor patients or 6 labor patients and 6 couplets!!! We have not been able to get management to back off their budget based staffing. Probably because they are making too much money on it. Our nurses are quitting left and right...

I think you need to be aware that while Washington Hospitals (especially the larger private and non profit ones in western wasington) are unionzed and have much better working conditions than some other states they are deteroriating quickly as these large Hospitals refine making money as their main goal. I am not kidding that they seem to be driving their nurses into the ground, we lose most of our new hires in the first two years at Providence in Olympia --- our older nurses have mortgages in town and stay but count the days till retirement. No matter how positive a person you are or how well trained and experienced --this place gives you that old burnout feeling at the end of each day. We are seeing greater and greater ER waits, no replacement of sick calls, and our management ALL came to the Legislature to oppose the safe staffing bill we tried to pass last year.... Management is not behind their nurses--it is a bad feeling. Right now we are working without a contract, because Nurses are holding out for a Professional Nursing voice in STAFFING. Providence Management is actually proposing no guarentee of shift start times and for " management flexibility reasons" wish to be able to change a nurses' hours to what ever they want as long as most of the hours fall on you shift they can start you whenever..... Now is that a recruiting tool??? Say tuned for the next update on "Good Hospitals Gone Bad: How the profit motive is ruining Hospital Care in Washington State."

Yes there certainly is a s nursing shortage. What we see at our hospital is a greeed driven nursing shortage. Our not for profit hospital has an operating margin of over 10% (read that as profit/and the Hospital Association s own PR says a Hospital needs 5-6% to get the best bond rates and pay for capital improvements.... So we see tighter and tighter planned staffing and no one to replace sick/vacation and people who leave.... We are not "burned out" because of any personal defect--it is ok in hospital management to operate this way--burnout is part of the plan---missing meals and breaks, too many patients and fast turnover---it all makes them more money. Yes it is true that some patient populations are stressful --but we are trained to deal with them---- these thing keep happening afer we have begged for help---that is the burnout...

Try LTC--weekends and eves. Hospitals are really not hiring LPN's especially for short term stints who can't work full time. One possible is to try the Float pool manager and go perdiem for them. Stick with nursing it will work out.

I am all for anything that meets nurses needs. If you like your work time packaged like this it is great, and, weekends are a bit less hectic. Does you hospital offer weekend differential? Are your extra shifts at OT (above your FTE?