I realize there are many sides to consider and we don't everyone's situation. No I DON’T think we should corner the absentees under a spotlight asking sarcastically if they enjoyed their LONG vacation. No I don't stick my nose in their business but some put their business out there not knowing who's going to see it. Yes I acknowledge the need for leave of absence policies, I’d hate to see an opposite situation that would leave employees without the option. I know there’s nothing we can do about the ones who abused the policies, so why am I still talking? Because some DID abuse the policies and those who were wrong..know they were wrong, and I’m disappointed in them and their lack of compassion. That’s it, professionals should have more personal accountability.
You say they had the right to remove themselves from an unsafe situation because their employers are vermin, but I say the employers weren't the ones that got hurt in the process, 2 wrongs don’t make a right and when the deserters return they’ll come back to the same s##tshow they left so maybe a new strategy for change should be considered.
You say we shouldn't fault those not willing to sacrifice themselves, I say the sacrifices would have been far less if we’d had all hands on deck.
I agree big health sucks, they care little about employees and everything about keeping a fat bottom line, We all know that, I don’t feel sorry for them, my loyalty is not to them it’s to the patients, my co-workers, and my peers. Employers prefer to have us pitted against each other so they can pick you apart separately, keeping us in weakened positions so it’s harder to fight for positive changes, So I say when we treat our coworkers with such disregard, we’re making things easier for them and making it worse for us, the every nurse for them self mindset is helping no one.
And I know it’s not nursing “nursery school” but going to work knowing that SOMEONE there has your back makes even bad situations a little more tolerable. So even if we can’t change things, even if the relationship between nurses really makes no difference, we can at least make our work day less miserable.
We can’t change the past but continuing forward I just think there should be more emphasis put on integrity. Maybe more focus on it in school, make it a skill required for hiring, maybe add it to your preceptors list for orientation, check it off with our flippin competencies! However it can be done! It IS important.
