Thirteen years of bedside care has taught me a lot. Yes, my clinical skills have been honed, my resume is stellar and I can approach clinical situations with confidence. I am a good nurse. My skills are a testament to my experience, as is my realization that modern day nursing is a farce. In this post I would like to pose that the nursing profession has become a perverse exploitation of manpower in the current age.
In the landscape of modern day healthcare the profession of nursing has been marginalized. Merriam-Webster defines marginalization as " to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group". This definition should ring true to any nurse who is currently working at the bedside of a healthcare organization. Powerlessness should be in the descriptive of any bedside nurse job description. Powerless over unsafe staffing, administrative dictates, abusive patients and family members, dysfunctional hierarchies and the right to a work environment supportive of basic human needs and free from harassment.
The hospital business model has changed with many institutions operating as for-profit. Healthcare dollars are becoming increasingly tighter while those in the c-suite; CEO, CFO, etc. still want their great big piece of the pie. Consulting organizations are the best friend of the profit driven CEO with little or no insight as to what transpires at the bedside. Regulatory commissions justify their existence with endless mandates that become workplace priority (although some of these interventions do protect the patient I suspect this outcome is secondary to the money that is saved by the organization for compliance). Hospitals have become big business. Unfortunately for us, nursing's outdated model only serves to make us work harder to achieve benefits we never realize.
There is no place in the new business model of healthcare for compassionate care. An org cannot be reimbursed for compassion. Still we as nurses are manipulated by our desire to fulfill this outdated model of compassionate care giver. We are the scapegoats of organizations commitment to making someone accountable. Don't make waves, your job is dependent on it. We have all heard this message loud and clear.
I say no more!! The modern day role of a nurse is a joke. The landscape changes and we are required to carry on - business as usual. I cant stuff 14 hours of work into a 12 hour workday and I wont. I will take my breaks. I won't take abuse from patients and/or family members. Our rights as employees in the US mandate we are entitled to an abuse-free workplace. Amen. If administrators want to run their hospitals like a hotel let them employ consierge service around the clock. I didn't go into the hospitality business, I am a nurse. For every hair-brained scheme for manipulating the public the buck seems to stop with nursing. I refuse to pilot your business initiatives and be held accountable.
I am tired of being vulnerable to nursing administration that would rather align itself with hospital administration than represent nursing. You may be well compensated for your turncoat behavior but know you are a disgrace to your profession. It's time we reclaim these important roles and have a voice!!
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics 2010-2011 there are 2.6 million nursing jobs - 60% of those in hospitals. We outnumber hospital admin and nursing exec's by a very large margin. Why don't we have voice? Let's get it together and stage a nursing revolt. Nothing will change until we learn we can stand up for ourselves, our profession and as a result our patients. Grab hold of a copy of the Code of Ethics for Nurses. You will see this is our right and more importantly our duty.
I'm ****** and I'm not going to take this anymore. The first step to change is a unified voice. I'm not advocating unions - I don't know enough about them. All I know is change has to happen if we are to survive. Are you with me?
it should be noted that the house bill in question provided grants to USA nursing schools, but that the bill was heavily weighted to immigrant advantage. nothing in it to advantage of USA born and trained nurses or USA nursing students.
3.06 million registered nurses in the US! With that kind of number we should be able to get together and make our profession and patients stays so much better.
so, voice your opinion. we are going to be the new generation of nurses. if we want things to change then we need to stick up for ourselves, and what is right for our patients. i keep hearing that nursing are the largest medical profession - so then why do such crazy things occur: not hiring new grads when they know they are going to need them, treat rn's unlike any other "profession", whereas every other profession gets their lunch break and even the ability to go to the restroom when they need to. where they are treated with respect and are expected to be part of the medical team and voice their opinion and have their suggestions be listened to instead of shrugged off.
until we start changing the way we respond to issues, and begin addressing them head on, only then will things change. we have to do it together. i'll keep on writing my letters. how about you?
i've written so many letters as well. i made a list (with emails/contact info) of all those i sent mine to. here goes my list...(i am in ca, so some obviously may not apply) if you want to send your letter on to them as well. sorry it's wicked long and i made it last year, i hope the links still work. i will review them and correct accordingly is some one would like to write "the letter".
*american academy of nursing. the aan serves the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, syntheses, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. washington, dc office, 888 17th street, nw, suite 800, washington, dc 20006. phone: (202) 777-1170; fax: (202)-777-0107; e-mail:[email protected]
*american association of colleges of nursinghttp://www.aacn.nche.edu/ aacn is the national voice for america's baccalaureate and higher-degree nursing education programs. its main goal is the establishment of quality standards for nursing students who are working to obtain their bachelor and graduate degrees by helping the nursing profession improve healthcare through its influence, and by promoting public support of nursing education, research, and best practices. director: jennifer butlin, email at [email protected]
[color=#404b55]* american nursesassociation/american nurses credentialing center
8515 georgia avenue, suite 400, silver spring, md 20910-3492
*american nurses association california, 1121 l street suite #409, sacramento, ca 95814
916-447-0225, 916-442-4394 fax. send your story to [email protected]
*american nurses foundation, the anf is a national philanthropic organization that promotes the continued growth and development of nurses and services to advance the work of the nursing profession. [color=#404b55]8515 georgia ave. suite 400, silver spring, md 20910
**california institute for nursing & health care (510) 486-0627 www.cinhc.org
to better understand the current scarcity of rn jobs, including those for new graduates, cinhc conducted a nursing employer survey from march through may 2009 and recently solicited response to the data at meetings throughout california entitled the graduate workforce study. it was really informative.
[color=#3366ff]send your story to deloras jones, executive director at [email protected]
[color=#3366ff]and nikki west, project coordinator at [email protected]
[color=#3366ff]and diane welch, project director at [email protected]
*congress.org go to http://www.congress.org/ and type in your zip code and send your story to your rep.
*fox news, www.foxnews.com send your story to [email protected] especially in relation to anita vogel's 1/25/2010 article entitled "recession proof jobs", where she states, "according to a recent survey by forbes magazine, health care is the most solid industry offering careers with job security. registered nurses topped the list as the number one most recession proof job, in part because there is a nursing shortage across the country" (http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/01/25/recession-proof-jobs/).
*interagency collaborative on nursing statistics (icons) promotes the generation and utilization of data, information, and research about nurses, nursing education, and the nursing workforce. email your story to email: [email protected]
*international council of nurses icn is a federation of national nurses' associations (nnas), representing nurses in more than 128 countries. founded in 1899, icn is the world's first and widest reaching international organization for health professionals. operated by nurses for nurses, icn works to ensure quality nursing care for all, sound health policies globally, the advancement of nursing knowledge, and the presence worldwide of a respected nursing profession and a competent and satisfied nursing workforce. email your story to [email protected]
letters to the editor for the u.s. print edition: send your story to [email protected]
mailing address: newsweek 395 hudson st., new york, ny 10014
**new york times, in regards to article by sarah tompkins (http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_72575cfb-a853-57ab-ad63-179f857501dc.html) where , "carol schuster, chief nursing officer at st. anthony medical center in crown point, said clinical partnerships also help hospitals see if a student would be a good hire. but right now, hospitals do not have many openings, she said, because of the economy". that is the only line that references the new grad nursing job shortage. tompkins reasoning for the so called nursing shortage was based on the lack of faculty - which is one dimension to this problem. send story to [email protected]
(219) 836-3780 | posted: sunday, january 3, 2010 12:10 am
also, to send comments and suggestions (about news coverage only) or to report errors that call for correction, e-mail [email protected] . to contact a reporter, click on the byline of one of his or her articles to access the reader e-mail form. you can also find any reporter's archive here (alphabetized by last name; reporters' names are italicized): times topics: people
*[color=#333333]nurse.com[color=#333333], home of nursing spectrum and nurseweek, a leading source of local and national nursing news, nursing jobs, nurse continuing education, and a thriving nurse community. leave your story at bottom of http://www.nurse.com/contact.cfm
**nurses for a healthier tomorrow (nht) is a coalition of 43 nursing and health care organizations working together to wage a communications campaign to attract people to the nursing profession. http://www.nursesource.org/mission.htmlthe nation is facing a potentially dangerous nursing shortage. the risk of a major nursing shortage is both short and long-term, and is more serious in some geographic areas than others. rather than wait until the problem is severe and patients are at risk, nht is working now to heighten awareness about the looming nursing shortage and the excellent opportunities that await those who seek a career in nursing. send your story to [email protected]
*the nursing organizations alliance™ is a coalition of nursing organizations united to create a strong voice for nurses. http://www.nursing-alliance.org/ phone: 859.514.9157 fax: 859.514.9166
*san francisco chronicle, news tips, if you have a story idea or breaking news tips, e-mail [email protected].
*service employees international union (seiu.org). a labor union for nurses working to improve patient care, enhance the nursing profession, and build a better future for nurses and their families.tell us what's going on and what you'd like to see covered on the seiu blog by emailing us at [email protected]
* do you have an enormous medical bill/cobra monthly payment? send an electronic bill to washington at http://medbill.seiu.org/ just fill in the 7 blanks (name, zip, bill/info, amount) and off it'll go.
honor society of nursing providing leadership and scholarship in practice, education, and research to enhance the health of all people. send your story to [email protected]
*linda burnes bolton, rn, phd, faan, who is vice president of nursing, chief nursing officer, and director of nursing research at cedars-sinai medical center in los angeles. direct an email to her at [color=#3399cc][email protected]
*kathleen a. ream, ansr alliance contact, 6534 marlo drive, falls church, virginia 20042.
tel. 703-241-3947
send your story to [email protected]americans for nursing shortage relief, entitled testimony of the americans for nursing shortage relief (ansr) alliance
regarding fy 2010 appropriations for nursing workforce development programs
subcommittee on labor, health and human services, education and related agencies
committee on appropriations, united states house of representatives
could've been heard loud and clear..too bad this was posted on a site where people hide behind the anonymity of their user name and password... indeed, we are all silenced for fear of losing our livelihood...
3.06 million registered nurses in the US! With that kind of number we should be able to get together and make our profession and patients stays so much better.
According to the Occupational Handbook, in 2008 there were 753,600 LPN positions held in the USA. I am sure with the way they are graduating them there are more. Please don't leave us out!
And now you see why we will never get any changes done. Nurses will not unite to make the changes we desperately need. Only, what, 22 people replied to this thread. Sad really, Nursing will degenerate and everyong will cry about it but, very few will stand up.
I believe the problem is being attached. the union strike way by the NNU. They seem to be avail to show up and support the sporadic nursing unions on strike- the Wash DC nusing union, the Michiagan nursing union,the Temple nursing union Pa the Calif nursing union. the Brownsville Texas nurses and I think the Crozer Chester. Pa nursing union this past saturday. This one will be the one to watch this coming Wensday I think they show up wearing red t-shirts. The nursing strikes are coming up more and more.Let's check out the NNU website- find out how and if any individual nurse can join or does it have to be a whole facility full. I see these nurses showing up at strikes to support fellow nurses. let's find out what this is about and if we can join in the show of support to those nurses close in geographical location to us. If you have the day off and live close to a group of nurses on strick- can you just join them. The power in numbers.
The greatest impact we can do right now is the letter writing to our politicians. Flood their offices with the corruption,greed mongering, employment practices, staffing complaints and unsafe patient care - the ills of this corporate run healthcare system in our country today. No patients will be abandoned, no one will be terminated for leaving their shifts and speaking up. These letters are our rights in this country. How will a manager/administrator know if you wrote your congress person, rep., governor, senator, attorney general's office, the president or the local or national news or Kathleen Sebilius herself this letter? Do not dispair. I'm writing my letters. I think so are alot of others. If the news is getting ahold of these insidents around the country- they getting put wise to this by some of us.!! Keep those letters on going.
I wrote every one of them that are on my list in regards to the so called nursing shortage, and becoming a new/old grad. Count me in to write them all again about everything else. It would be great if someone could write a snappy short to the point letter which we could just sign and send. Then we could facebook it and send it out to all of our nursing and non nursing friends for support.
OOO and tomarrow I am dropping off a letter to my manager documenting how concerned I am about patient safety, risk management and our employee's well being at my work place. We are overwhelmed and underpaid and I am scared.
But the thing that got me, was my senior director telling me that I "had to just step up and do it" (take the Nursing Lead Posion). Hello, I have been there 6 months, I am a new RN, and I resent her telling me I just need to just step up and do it. A major worker just quit and there is nobody else to fill her shoes and director wants me to take on the jobs she left as well as the two jobs I am already trying to keep up with. Well no thank you with that kind of support. I could not believe it. Oh and she told me this right after I told her that I was overwhelmed with what I was already trying to keep up with!
HA - listening is a skill! So, tomorrow I will either make them very angry or help make changes for the better. My fellow employees are backing me up. We shall see.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Yeah," step up and take the lead position" is right up there with "you"re doing just fine" and "it just takes a little time" for helpful advice from the non-listeners......................Well, I'll be praying for you. BTW: your list was AWESOME! Thanx!
I think if we kick around a few ideas here on this thread. We could come up with some good places to start.
We can all vow to write our representatives, congressmen/women, senator who ever in our state this week who is on the commitee for Healthcare reform. Include in the communication( written letter, e-mail) the peices of our current healthcare system that we feel are broken- replacing nurses with UAP, distribution of hospital/healthcare funding, big salaries for non essential medical personel, Nurse patient ratios. We all have areas that we are disgruntle about and want to see a change in. We all know where the the healthcare problems are- we are forced to deal with them. Thell these ladies and gentlemen our elected officials where this is all leading- patients dying. That's all I have as a suggestion. Take it to your newspapers- what about e-mailing some of these reporters from the healthcare articles. Give these reporters some real stand up shocking facts that will make them continue to read on. Employment practices and conditions for nurses back it up with statistics. I think nursing biggest proble is the failure to speak up. If we don't speak up for us no one is going to! Look where it has got us.
I'm a firm believer in the saying "be the change you want to see" and if all nurses unite, this can happen! :)
so, voice your opinion. we are going to be the new generation of nurses. if we want things to change then we need to stick up for ourselves, and what is right for our patients. i keep hearing that nursing are the largest medical profession - so then why do such crazy things occur: not hiring new grads when they know they are going to need them, treat rn's unlike any other "profession", whereas every other profession gets their lunch break and even the ability to go to the restroom when they need to. where they are treated with respect and are expected to be part of the medical team and voice their opinion and have their suggestions be listened to instead of shrugged off.
until we start changing the way we respond to issues, and begin addressing them head on, only then will things change. we have to do it together. i'll keep on writing my letters. how about you?
i've written so many letters as well. i made a list (with emails/contact info) of all those i sent mine to. here goes my list...(i am in ca, so some obviously may not apply) if you want to send your letter on to them as well. sorry it's wicked long and i made it last year, i hope the links still work. i will review them and correct accordingly is some one would like to write "the letter".
*american academy of nursing. the aan serves the public and nursing profession by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, syntheses, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. washington, dc office, 888 17th street, nw, suite 800, washington, dc 20006. phone: (202) 777-1170; fax: (202)-777-0107; e-mail:[email protected]
*american association of colleges of nursinghttp://www.aacn.nche.edu/ aacn is the national voice for america's baccalaureate and higher-degree nursing education programs. its main goal is the establishment of quality standards for nursing students who are working to obtain their bachelor and graduate degrees by helping the nursing profession improve healthcare through its influence, and by promoting public support of nursing education, research, and best practices. director: jennifer butlin, email at [email protected]
[color=#404b55]* american nursesassociation/american nurses credentialing center
8515 georgia avenue, suite 400, silver spring, md 20910-3492
*american nurses association california, 1121 l street suite #409, sacramento, ca 95814
916-447-0225, 916-442-4394 fax. send your story to [email protected]
*american nurses foundation, the anf is a national philanthropic organization that promotes the continued growth and development of nurses and services to advance the work of the nursing profession. [color=#404b55]8515 georgia ave. suite 400, silver spring, md 20910
**california institute for nursing & health care (510) 486-0627 www.cinhc.org
to better understand the current scarcity of rn jobs, including those for new graduates, cinhc conducted a nursing employer survey from march through may 2009 and recently solicited response to the data at meetings throughout california entitled the graduate workforce study. it was really informative.
[color=#3366ff]send your story to deloras jones, executive director at [email protected]
[color=#3366ff]and nikki west, project coordinator at [email protected]
[color=#3366ff]and diane welch, project director at [email protected]
*congress.org go to http://www.congress.org/ and type in your zip code and send your story to your rep.
*fox news, www.foxnews.com send your story to [email protected] especially in relation to anita vogel's 1/25/2010 article entitled "recession proof jobs", where she states, "according to a recent survey by forbes magazine, health care is the most solid industry offering careers with job security. registered nurses topped the list as the number one most recession proof job, in part because there is a nursing shortage across the country" (http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/01/25/recession-proof-jobs/).
*interagency collaborative on nursing statistics (icons) promotes the generation and utilization of data, information, and research about nurses, nursing education, and the nursing workforce. email your story to email: [email protected]
*international council of nurses icn is a federation of national nurses' associations (nnas), representing nurses in more than 128 countries. founded in 1899, icn is the world's first and widest reaching international organization for health professionals. operated by nurses for nurses, icn works to ensure quality nursing care for all, sound health policies globally, the advancement of nursing knowledge, and the presence worldwide of a respected nursing profession and a competent and satisfied nursing workforce. email your story to [email protected]
letters to the editor for the u.s. print edition: send your story to [email protected]
mailing address: newsweek 395 hudson st., new york, ny 10014
**new york times, in regards to article by sarah tompkins (http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_72575cfb-a853-57ab-ad63-179f857501dc.html) where , "carol schuster, chief nursing officer at st. anthony medical center in crown point, said clinical partnerships also help hospitals see if a student would be a good hire. but right now, hospitals do not have many openings, she said, because of the economy". that is the only line that references the new grad nursing job shortage. tompkins reasoning for the so called nursing shortage was based on the lack of faculty - which is one dimension to this problem. send story to [email protected]
(219) 836-3780 | posted: sunday, january 3, 2010 12:10 am
also, to send comments and suggestions (about news coverage only) or to report errors that call for correction, e-mail [email protected] . to contact a reporter, click on the byline of one of his or her articles to access the reader e-mail form. you can also find any reporter's archive here (alphabetized by last name; reporters' names are italicized): times topics: people
*[color=#333333]nurse.com[color=#333333], home of nursing spectrum and nurseweek, a leading source of local and national nursing news, nursing jobs, nurse continuing education, and a thriving nurse community. leave your story at bottom of http://www.nurse.com/contact.cfm
**nurses for a healthier tomorrow (nht) is a coalition of 43 nursing and health care organizations working together to wage a communications campaign to attract people to the nursing profession. http://www.nursesource.org/mission.htmlthe nation is facing a potentially dangerous nursing shortage. the risk of a major nursing shortage is both short and long-term, and is more serious in some geographic areas than others. rather than wait until the problem is severe and patients are at risk, nht is working now to heighten awareness about the looming nursing shortage and the excellent opportunities that await those who seek a career in nursing. send your story to [email protected]
*the nursing organizations alliance™ is a coalition of nursing organizations united to create a strong voice for nurses. http://www.nursing-alliance.org/ phone: 859.514.9157 fax: 859.514.9166
*san francisco chronicle, news tips, if you have a story idea or breaking news tips, e-mail [email protected].
*service employees international union (seiu.org). a labor union for nurses working to improve patient care, enhance the nursing profession, and build a better future for nurses and their families.tell us what's going on and what you'd like to see covered on the seiu blog by emailing us at [email protected]
* do you have an enormous medical bill/cobra monthly payment? send an electronic bill to washington at http://medbill.seiu.org/ just fill in the 7 blanks (name, zip, bill/info, amount) and off it'll go.
honor society of nursing providing leadership and scholarship in practice, education, and research to enhance the health of all people. send your story to [email protected]
*linda burnes bolton, rn, phd, faan, who is vice president of nursing, chief nursing officer, and director of nursing research at cedars-sinai medical center in los angeles. direct an email to her at [color=#3399cc][email protected]
*kathleen a. ream, ansr alliance contact, 6534 marlo drive, falls church, virginia 20042.
tel. 703-241-3947
send your story to [email protected]americans for nursing shortage relief, entitled testimony of the americans for nursing shortage relief (ansr) alliance
regarding fy 2010 appropriations for nursing workforce development programs
subcommittee on labor, health and human services, education and related agencies
committee on appropriations, united states house of representatives
people magazine has a huge reader audience and they also are interested in "do-good stories", "today's heroes" and bringing problems to the light of the american people along with what people are doing to solve those problems. they themselves can't bring the changes but they sure can let the public know it's on the floor.
justashooter
180 Posts
link to contacting your congress-people.
http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
it should be noted that the house bill in question provided grants to USA nursing schools, but that the bill was heavily weighted to immigrant advantage. nothing in it to advantage of USA born and trained nurses or USA nursing students.