" . . . or should we just hire someone mediocre who will stay a decade?"

[Ruby Vee]

I just got home from our required 4 hour staff meeting, and I'm so angry I could spit nails! Our manager was discussing the enormous turnover we've had for the past 4 or 5 years. "It's not that people are unhappy on our unit," she explained. "It's just that they're moving on to bigger and better things. We hire some really bright people, and they move on." That part was OK. Then she went on to say that "I've struggled with whether I should keep hiring the really bright folks, or whether I should lower my standards and hire some mediocre folks who will live in the ICU for the next decade."

I've been in that unit for 13 years, and I've always considered myself a good resource for newer folks. I've published, designed and taught classes, designed and initiated certification programs, presented to the hospital board, precepted special skills, etc. I've noticed lately that nothing is being done to retain senior staff, but never did I imagine that we were considered to be sub-standard, mediocre nurses because of our very longevity!

I'm angry and I feel so insulted and disrespected! Perhaps it's time to move on!

[imenid37]

I know me and I would've been insulted too. You need to go to her and ask her to apologize to the senior staff or clarify what she was saying. The trouble is that we at the bedside are treated like we are not doing "BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS" We are. We are the heart of patient care. If we were recognized and financially rewarded, many of us would stay at the bedside a lot longer. This woman is either a fool or was having a real brain fart of a day. I'd like to take the opportunity to commend and congratulate you for all the things you've done on your unit over the past thirteen years.

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

What if she was actually paying all those who have been hired in the past a HUGE compliment? "I've always hired only the best and brightest" would include you!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

WOW -- great responses, everyone!

Those who said I needed to go talk to my manager about what she said before rushing out the door were right. I do need to go and talk to her. I had always considered her a good manager in the past -- perhaps the best I've ever had. But my husband (who used to work on that unit) and I have been talking over the past year or so about how little time and effort is spent on staff rentention rather than on recruitment. Seniority nets you nothing but the opportunity to bid into a straight day position -- and now folks with less than a year are getting straight days. I guess I hadn't felt devalued and disrespected until yesterday's staff meeting -- but suddenly the lightbulb went off in my head!

When called on her comment by another "senior" nurse, the manager hemmed and hawed, stammered and laughed that she "didn't really mean it that way," but never actually apologized or took back her statement. I'll talk to her myself, but I feel a job change coming on!

[mattsmom81]

Comments like this can definitely be the 'last straw'. I'm amazed the manager did not clarify or backtrack post haste!! Don't blame you for feeling offended, Ruby.

Sadly, hospitals in my area increasingly seem to devalue the long term employees and cater to the new hires. A coworker of mine found she was making 5 bucks an hour less than a new RN with less than a year experience! We just lost another 3 yr ICU employee cuz the manager would not give him a decent, well earned raise...so now we're replacing him with another agency contract who makes 44 hr....this makes sense?? My shift has 2 FT employees and 9 agency contracts now...those of us left are looking at our options too...

Our ICU manager is also catering to tele nurses who have been on 'ICU orientation' for 4 months plus shadowing another nurse...she must have hired 'em real cheap or sumthin... but talk about nonproductivity!! The regulars are tiring of tripling on assignments to cover the newbies.

Why not simply hire ICU nurses and pay them a decent wage and treat them decently?? Seems too simple a solution...but I'm just a lowly bedside nurse.

I guess I just do not understand the logic of today's nursing managers. Mine talks at us, never with us. And she wonders why she can't keep nurses??