Howardhughes

My Point is they ( Travel Agencies) are leaches offering nothing and taking the Lions share of $$$...YOU do the work and take all the responsibilities ...there is NO NO Good reason a RN cant be a Self Contractor OR Get a Group of RN's with Liability Insurance and Negotiate Pay. Hospitals don't do it because folks get taken care of who write these contracts within Management.

WELL... Some Good Advice and some bad. #1 Yep Document Period. If you go to Court its you're only saving grace. #2/#3 Receiving Report and documenting will NOT NOT relive you of Legal Action if your Pts go bad AND you have not followed the chain of command ...Here is the Rub... the Hospital there is a Chain of Command. and written policies to support the chain..Follow it..ie.. Told Unit Charge...and House Supervisor... if they Both Demand you push meat without transferring Pts to another RN then YOU make the decision to do so...they are putting YOUR head in the noose because YOU took the assigned task. Unless you Pass off your Pts YOU are still responsible for them. I have been asked MANY TIMES at a Large Hospital in CLT NC to do things Unsafe... just say NO...or take the risks ...me like I said above ... my License is valuable to me. #4.. You and ONLY YOU make the decision ..like I said...if a Hospital is doing this crap then they can care not 1 thing for you or the Pts... Poor management pushing you to do unsafe things. 1. Always give report if you are told to leave your assignment, and document having done so. "Report given and patient care turned over to A. Nurse, RN." 2. Don't accept anyone else's patients via a mechanism of "I need to go transport, you're watching my patients." They can give you a reasonable run-down/report or find someone else. Also do not use (or let someone else sign you up via) the "watching" mechanism in the EHR (unless you have received report). 3. If someone says they are leaving and you are not able to properly watch or care for their patients, tell them that you cannot watch their patients and call the supervisor immediately and calmly state that your floor/unit will need help so that a nurse can leave to transport. 4. If you are told to leave and you feel it would compromise your patient care to do so or your coworker cannot reasonably watch your patients, do the same as #3.

I was of the school of thought that they pulled her off her unit for 6 Hrs to push Meat around...if she still had a Pt load Hell No im not leaving the Unit...Go to the House super..if that wont work demand to have another cover or resign due to a Known unsafe environment. I value my License and Have been involved with a court case involving a death (Aviation related.. a A/C I sold the guy years before crashed). I can assure you its not worth it. In addition any Hospital that would allow such a action is not worthy of your skills...and I would email your states regulators about the issue. Nurses are often very willing to obey orders that can be deadly.

Well... I found out Nursing is no get rich job...as a matter of fact for the Education and Training involved it way under paid. I was just asked by a Travel agency if I wanted a job.. you see the "Agency" Bills out $150.00 a Hour for the Contract...You Get $45.00 Pro rated due to housing etc..and you get all the responsibility to your license and they make $105.00 a HR for a 12 Week Contract YEA IM IN. Folks...Nursing needs to Pay well for good people...You Earned it. There is a reason the Hospitals are making 300M PA as a "Non Profit"...its off your Poor pay and Benefits. Im SO BLESSED to be Semi retired .. If you Don't have Representation you will be worked like a Dog and Paid worse.

Hay they want to pay me $78K Pushing Meat im in.

Agreed with above....Its the old adage if not documented it didn't happen. I assume the pt did ok. As I said in other posts...coming from the airlines... I DID have several events where equipment (Engine) was destroyed (900,000.00$)...a coworker and the flt manager tried to pin it on me ended up I had the UNION defend me and I was exonerated of all charges (log book had a history of overheating all day in flight it was un-airworthy but the airline didn't want to change a 900,000 engine). Another example of your friendly hospital helping its employees. #3

Hay Jonnyvirgo....Your statement is a example of a RN? (hope not) that should not hold a license. No we don't prescribe ... HOW ABOUT KNOWING HOW THE MED WORKS WITHIN THE BIO SYSTEMS , SIDE EFFECTS, ANTIDOTE ( YOU MAY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO A ASSESSMENT ( WHICH REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE OF PATHO/PHARMACOLOGY AFTER THE PATIENT STARTS SMACKING HIS LIPS RAPIDLY #46

I had a chance to work in a Psych facility a few years ago where Meds were passed by MA/NA....Psychotropics..... BP meds..... Folks had no idea what EPS was ...TD...hell they used 0700 BP values to pass Beta blockers that had just been increased...no you can keep the MA/NA in roles their education will support their skills..Humm I guess all that assessment stuff is overrated...because you have someone with 90 days training giving powerful meds to folks who may or may not have the cognition to ask for help...Folks we are dumbing down health care to cut costs. I want the best trained MEDICAL DOCTOR to review and treat me

MA..as in Medical Assistent, a person with 6 months training.its a sign of thing to come...do more with less educated people and spread the responsibility around to un LICENSED persons...harder to sue a MA the that old MD NP or RN. I saw this coming in 2004...A TRUE STORY: My dad in Calif noticed a odd "scab" at the left Rad of his neck in 2004. I was finishing up RN school and as we all know time is compressed...I encouraged him to have it cked out...in in CLT NC. He did..doc took a sample for biopisy. a week went by and no one called him so he called the MD office and wanted to talk to a RN..was told they dont have RN's MA..who are as quilified. He stated his name to the MA...she stated it was ok. $ weeks go by and the "scab" gets bigger and his face starts to swell on that side. Upon return to hospital/ checking chain of events the MA has mis labeled my dads biopsy...she had read the report of another Richard Miller that was seen that day...NO ID cross ck, No SSN. My dad Died 7 weeks later from MM, I did not peruse legal as I was too busy finishing school ... the lawyers wanted to sue the MD/Ins co as the MA had no Professional standing in court. My wife is ret 22 USN CDR Masters...she states we have dumbed down the industry to fill billets...In the few years Ive been a RN I can say for sure many Grads don't have a sold foundation of AP/systems or pharmacology. I haven't talked about this ever before outside my family. So... yes the future of the RN is changing...to the determent of the Patient.

Wow...its amazing...I posted my view Sept 17th and folks are still giving input....to be sure there is a plethora of options. As I review some of the answers I can see why, unfortunately, the reason Nurses are abused by their employers... I hope for a better future where a RN is Paid well, doesn't have to use PTO to make 40 hrs, is respected throughout the hospital management and by Peers...seems it wont happen soon.

[h=2]Howard Hughes airline and weight loss program coming to you soon: What are the consequences of overweight and obesity?[/h][h=2]Health Consequences[/h] Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" and "obesity,"* the risks for the following conditions also increases:1 Coronary heart disease Type 2 diabetes Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon) Hypertension (high blood pressure) Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides) Stroke Liver and Gallbladder disease Sleep apnea and respiratory problems Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint) Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility) *Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher. For more, see Defining Obesity. You wait....all you plump folks are next........................

Hospitals are big corporations wanting to ring out every cent they can from employees to Pts. I quit smoking 20 years ago...smoke a cigar PRN..etoh PRN. Its their company, they make the rules...what burns my ass is the number of FAT (ok ...im sorry..obese to morbidity) Nurses there are...and with cost cutting on the way Oct 1st the "cubby platoon" will be the next group of folks in the hot seat...BMI over your age group....cubby platoon.... hay if they can do it for smokers that clearly have a greater risk of health care costs...they can do it to the "Plump and big boned" folks (Men and Women alike). Get ready to hit the Gym ......you know...we need to make those number next quarter and cut costs... up and down, left and right, kick kick...lift those weights....

subsippi....heres my insight.....Call offs are the norm UNLESS you work for a Federal/State job here in NC. My observation of the sorry state of nursing was gleaned from my personal experiences over 8 years in ED, Medical Officer for DOC/SC, VA, and Military in NC/SC area. There are a ton of things a new grad has to pick quickly the first year or two...you will get the hang of it.. apprehension about your skills is a common feeling as you start your shift. Get a few years of experience and market yourself outside the hospital environment...it is going to get much worse as new health care regs kick in. As I have posted above...I know many "Old time Nurses" who had millions worth of bill out to their credit and were given a $hit lunch for, in one case 32 years, the other 20 years of quality service with NOT ONE CENT RETIREMENT. Please... Yes you have to manage your retirement...but you can only do that with good pay and benefits...which is lacking at every hospital ive ever encountered except the Federal system. Good luck...and dont allow yourself to be the next punching bag....your a Professional and should /will be treated as one. PS :Airlines, car manufactures, GE, Computer companies all have retirement plans, most have exc pay ( so you can do a 5% match=10%..a good deal), most have exc medical and insurance...way too many RN's getting to the GOLDEN YEARS without 2 cents in retirement...think about it

Esme 12 is 100% correct for Civilian hospitals in NC..its a "Right to work state". As my post stated before Federal is governed by contract..yes they twist arms...but if you push it the union will back you up if its not a national or state emergency . I did have ( Please/strongly advised/ work out something) to pull OT with call outs...but it was rare.

*** Being called off is unacceptable. When I went looking for a new job I decided I simply wasn't going to tolerate being called off anymore. I found a job where I never get called off. Even if there are hardly any patients in the hospital I get to work and am paid, unless I choose to go home or stay home. I had to work in a diffrent state to find such a job. The reason it is acceptable to be laid off for 4 hours each shift in nursing is because nurses tolerate it. I simply refuse to tolerate it anymore. I think none of us should. WELL SAID...Do police get pulled on a slow night. Fire Dept...hay... Thing were slow some times at USAIRWAYS...we went to the Training Dept and brushed up on systems and Sim time.... Call off's are another way senior management (that MBA making well over 600k...yes they make that figure and more) make their numbers. YOU ARE 100% CORRECT...we hold the power for change...ever heard the phrase "We hang tougher or we hang separately"...it apply s. #32

Hay GrnTea....I wasn't *itching...I was relating my observation of 8 years as a RN. I am a ATP (Airline Transport Pilot), FAA inspector, Farmer (did my own ag work crop dusting), and RN...so yes, Ive reinvented myself several times. I belonged to ALPA and the IAM, they capitulated on every contract but you never get 100% what you want. I was paid well, worked TO THE LETTER OF THE CONTRACT. As my first post stated I will do something else...it sure wont be for a Hospital...may or may not involve Nursing. If you want a retirement, Professional Standing, Motivated peers, great pay JOIN THR MILITARY...any branch...or Federal service...do 20 years and hit 60 retirement around 2000 a month ...30 years @55 about 2700 a month. I know many Nurses who have SLAVED for a hospital, Billed out millions with their service , and receive a *hit lunch as a retirement...are you for real. Hate to say it....Unions are the only answer I can see...if you are waiting for the hospital admin to help your SOL...(they have to make Bonus via cutting your pay)...remember we have a tight fiscal quarter...every one has to give.

With regards to pay CMC health system here in CLT was paying 19.00hr for RN ADN grad, +50cents a HR 19.50 for BSN ....I worked at Gaston Comm Hosp along side a MSN with 2 years making 26.00hr (2007). The nationwide average is flawed as Calif/North East pay rates are quite high. No one commented on getting pulled or having to take leave for low pt count...that is a norm for this industry.....its outrageous .......as for me...I plan on devoting time in some fashion to Wounded Warriors ...I have seen way too many kids get sub standard care at the VA.

At the VA our UNION CONTRACT stated no more then 16hrs with 8 hrs for sleep..and.. if the RN declared his/her self unfit for duty due to exhaustion they HAD to find a replacement (this was all void if a local/national emergency was declared..ie war/adverse weather ect). Your post points to a typical UN-caring hospital doing whats not right for its professionals in Nursing.

I am a Male RN with about 8 years of work experience in the ER, Prison, Acute PTSD/TBI @ the VA. I came from another Industry (Aviation/Airline), after 9/11 retrained into Nursing with the thought of doing something that "Matters" instead of making a corporation another pile of $$$$. After 8 years this has been my Observation of the current state of affairs within Nursing. 1) I have never been so poorly treated within a professional career as I have been with nursing, Managers MD's and Patients all use you as a human punching bag (I can tolerate some of this from a sick PT but not my peers and above). Unprofessionalism often rules and vengeful remarks and treatment are the norms..ie... I have heard the following from RN's,MD,managers..."shes a stupid ***** (MD), you need to find another line of work (MBA manager to new grad), "you need to pass those meds faster , whats wrong with you, cant hack it" (Charge RN). 2) Call offs and low pay...Name any other profession where you have to take hard earned leave or rotate to a totally different unit and are expected to perform (Board of nursing should demand changes to this its unsafe). BSN starting at 17 to 19 a hr nationwide avg...really...MSN with 5 years unless specially trained 60K...for real...(Bank of America pays a avg of 70 k to 100k for mid level MBA's) I retired from USAirways in 2003, there were troubles galore with the company..but I was paid well, had exc healthcare...WAS TREATED AS A PROFESSIONAL...WHICH I WAS AND STILL AM. Nursing as a profession.......only if you join the service as my wife did (CDR USN ret) ....to a hospital your a expenditure that they work like a dog, then throw away. Its a sad state only getting worse as the economy is slow and Obama care will reshape the industry in pay and quality of care. Good By Nursing.....it was a experience of a life ...time to do other things.

Yes Begger I did research...my wife is a Master preped RN and a PA, she did 22 years in the military and loved it. Went into managment asap because of the poor state of Civ health care. Yes I did my research. There seems to be MANY who feel as I due, perhaps we need to improve the enviroment the RN works in...as in realistic work rules, improve pay etc. Its sad when after 20 years working like a dog for a hospital you might recive $200.00/ Month retirement. The MD is well comped for his/her service and well so....Ive seen way to many RN my past 18 months willing to put up with all the #hit due to a wide range of issues ( single mom, the old nightengale creed, etc). I may do Industeral Health and safety or work a urgent care enviroment. 1 thing I know for sure... there is a reason most of the folks you see in the nursing industry are older as in 45 and up.

First I would like to say hi to all my brothers and sisters nurses out there. Now to the issue, I Made a Huge mistake becoming a RN. I spent 25 years in the Aviation industry where you were bumped/transfered all over the US to keep a job. After 3 years of Nursing School (very hard) I became a RN thinking I would have a stable job and perhaps find meaning to my last 10 or so years in the work forse. Whew what a mistake. I kept thinking that it surley couldnt be this bad while in school...I must be seeing things through the eyes of a newbe...WRONG. Upon Grad I spent 6 months in the ER (Would NEVER do that again,running at 120% ALL the time and making critical judgements all the time ( from checking the "Docs" bad med orders to having 3 sick peds pt's hit your rooms back to back). Quit. Then I did staff nurse/ supervision with the Dept of Corrections....slower pace but between the dim-wit corrections staff, killers, & child molesters *itching about their care and rights I had to go after 10 months. There is a reason why head hunters are paying $45.00 a hour for nursing staff...NOBODY WANTS TO DO THE WORK. I learned so much in school...and yes Ive had a handfull of exc paitent encounters where the team saves a life, or you realy did a exc job from Dx to dischage...but its rare...Most of the time its 120% work, low pay and stress, hell Im still not up to my pay level that I was making in 2001.