JoblessNewRN

I understand and appreciate your concerns. With ten years in the field as a professional nurse, albeit 'only' an LPN, I fully understand 12 and 16 hour shifts, short staffing and high patient to staff ratios. What I do not believe in is walking off the job we have dedicated our lives to, that being caring for those in need. As I have stated, patient care is not an automobile assembly line you can switch off and come back to when your negotiations are complete. These are human lives, not cars. My father dedicated 23 years of his life to serving this country through two wars and has watched his pension and health care benefits be trimmed, sliced and whittled away. Our current service men and women have less than half the benefits those in my father's generation have...thank G-d they do not feel the need to walk out on our country to make their point.

As a Davenport grad, I can vouch for several things. First, they ARE accredited. Second, they no longer offer LPN-RN, only a four year BSN program. They also offer an MSN online. Their courses are taught by nurse specialists in that field, and you will get more hands-on clinical time than most other nursing programs. They are expensive, but to me it was well worth it. Their NCLEX pass rate has well exceeded the average since their implementation of ATI testing. I passed my RN first try, after 75 questions, Good luck!!

First and foremost, I do not believe heath care is a place for walk off strikes. This is not an automobile assembly line you can switch off and go back to when your "needs" are met. Human lives are at stake here and, as a nurse, my oath was to DO NO HARM. Walking out on my patients does not fulfill that in my opinion. Sparrow is one of the highest paying hospitals in the state. That doesn't say much, I know, when the average RN salary in Michigan is 22% below the national average, but it says a great deal to me. I am struggling to get a job in a hospital as a new grad RN, I would jump at the opportunity to work at Sparrow. Let's put PATIENT CARE first...PERSONALITIES..and petty bickering...second!

As a "new" RN, with 10 years experience as an LPN, including ICU experience, it is amazingly difficult to get a job in central Michigan. I currently staff with a VERY good agency who, due to JHACO regulations, cannot use me as an RN until I've had one year experience. This takes me out of the loop to work the potential upcoming strike at Sparrow Hospital for that company. I am wondering if anyone knows any of the other agencies that will be staffing Sparrow if they strike, and if they will take a new RN (graduated 8/10, current active RN license) to work them. Any information appreciated! Thank you!! Kim