I have a question......why is it that in all of these message forums I see nurses complain about their work but fail to suggest any ideas for improvement? I read many of you speaking of unions....have any of you tried to implement your ideas??? No wonder we are not respected. We sit and complain, but do nothing. Who would repesct that?? Let me give you some advice....DO SOMETHING and stop complaining. Write letters to the government, join ANA, get petitions started....anything to show administration we are serious. I don't mean to be rude, but you all sound like a bunch of lazy, nagging housewives. Remember Nurses...we are trained professionals who are educated to DO something. Write to newpapers about the horrible conditions. Anything! I'm a student nurse and I see the situation is bad, but I can guarantee you I will find ways to change it. And no, that is not idealistic, it's proactive. The ones who sit back and complain but do nothing should be ashamed of themself. Sorry if this message sounds harsh but I've heard enough and the truth may hurt...but maybe this will motivate someone to ge a little more involved. Do you think doctors or lawyers would sit and do nothing? No, because they are educated....as we all are. PLease ladies and gentlemen, let's start discussing ideas and pull together. We should be proud of our profession.
I have been vehemently trying to make a change at my facility for 1 1/2 years now in regard to staffing, salary, patient safety, etc. What I often hear is "change takes time". I suppose when we as nurses get sick and tired of being sick and tired, then we'll all get together and do something. The key is unity. I think what we need is a nationwide union. Now that's bargaining power. No more strike busting travel agencies to mess things up. We have to be patient and wait for some more fresh nurses to come in to practice. Many of the people in our profession have been nurses for too long to change their ways. When the shortage of nurses becomes critical, that is when we need to start demanding more. Obviously administrators don't feel that panic to keep their staff.
Lazy, nagging housewife ws meant to be a figure of speech. For those it offended, I apologize. I do not work in the nursing department, I am just around them all day, so to try and make changes at this time wouldn't work. When I am a nurse, however, I will try. Angelnurse, we have one thing in common, to try and have a positive forum with suggestions...so let's work together on that. I am not putting anyone down, just the people I see and hear complain but do nothing. For those of you that do try to make changes, wonderful. Not ALL nurses do nothing!!! I know that! I went into nursing b/c I love the medical field and working with patients. Let's pull together people. What have you tried and what has failed? I'd be interested to hear your ideas. I have GREAT respect for nurses, by the way, in case that didn't come across.
[This message has been edited by TRN (edited May 26, 2000).]
WOW...this is great! It's such a blast to read everything...I love it...wish I had IM though, maybe not I type like a snail...didn't want to learn to type, afraid I'd get locked in a low paying "traditionally female" job...Now don't everyone crucify me for bad mouthing secretaries...I'm older, I understand the value of all women regardless of their occupation now..CANRN thanks for reading my stuff! TRN your getting us all thinking and talking....might as well get it all out on the table..MAYBE now we can move forward ... Bye for now..lita
Yes, lita and mailkranz, I agree with what you say. You've got it.
I find it interesting that whenever anyone on a bb tries to hold people accountable for moving forward and proposing a plan of change for their complaints, invariably someone posts that bb's are to vent and we are all entitled to vent.
While I agree with venting as a right, I believe that it leads to some circular thinking UNLESS you are willing to move it forward with a solution. Sometimes that solution will be systemic (better staffing, better conditions, within the purview of nurse managers)and sometimes it will be personal (improved attitude, _detachment_ from the work place and a willingness to seek satisfaction from other venues, transfering out of a job that keeps you constantly sleep deprived, etc, etc).
I agree with lita so much that I thought the hospital was an incredibly important part of my career but to stay there forever became too personally costly and I was just ready for different types of challenges. In truth, the nursing job is a very greedy lover and I don't recommend it. Make sure you have a life outside of nursing and you will be better able to cope with the imperfections of your nursing world.
PS, I work in a school based drug abuse prevention program and I love my work.
Good luck to all and my thoughts are with my nursing brothers and sisters who persist in the trenches of hospital nursing...
Molly from ?Kansas...did I get it right? I couldn't believe my eyes when you wrote it became too costly at the bedside(personally)I have gone over and over in my mind...why did I leave? It is sooo complicated...that actually was it!I have close friends KNEE deep in the trenches...
Hi All, Too many posts to read tonite after 12 hours but I will say that it's the government AKA congress etc who has gotten us into this mess let's not let them have any more ammo. Get nurses into the business end of things. Let them control the purse strings. Put them on the board of directors of hospitals. And ( bite my tongue) put them in Congress and the Senate. Maybe our first women President should have 20+ years as a nurse. Remember the hand that rocks the cradle ( and starts the Iv, and wipes the bottms and vomit and holds the dying person's hand ) rules the world....
YOU ARE 100% RIGHT TRN!!!! I AM A CORRECTIONS RN AND USED TO BE A UNION MEMBER (SEIU 1199), I RECENTLY PERFORMED SOME ORGANIZING WORK WITH THEM, AND WHAT THE NURSES REALLY WANTED WAS FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN AND FIX THE SITUATION FOR THEM. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE, TAKE THE STAND AND DO THE WORK. THEY WERE WAITING ON THE WHITE KNIGHT TO RIDE IN AND SAVE THEM FROM THEMSELVES. WELL, FELLOW NURSES NOBODY IS GOING TO GIVE US ANYTHING. HISTORY SHOULD TEACH US NOTHING THAT IS WORTH WHILE OR WORTH MUCH IS GOING TO BE GLADLY GIVEN ESPECIALLY IF IT COMES OUT OF THE CEO'S BONUS.
UNTIL WE STAND UP , REALISE WHAT POWER WE HAVE AND USE THAT
POWER TO HELP OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR PATIENTS, WE
GET WHAT WE DESERVE. LITTLE RESPECT, AVERAGE PAY, AND BEING
WORKED LIKE DUMB ANIMALS, AND WE ONLY HAVE TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR FOR WHO TO BLAME.
I HAVE TAKEN A STAND AND WILL CONTINUE, BUT I CAN NOT BE EVERY NURSE'S WHITE KNIGHT.
WANT SOMETO DO THE E NURSES Yyou
Originally posted by TRN:
I have a question......why is it that in all of these message forums I see nurses complain about their work but fail to suggest any ideas for improvement? I read many of you speaking of unions....have any of you tried to implement your ideas??? No wonder we are not respected. We sit and complain, but do nothing. Who would repesct that?? Let me give you some advice....DO SOMETHING and stop complaining. Write letters to the government, join ANA, get petitions started....anything to show administration we are serious. I don't mean to be rude, but you all sound like a bunch of lazy, nagging housewives. Remember Nurses...we are trained professionals who are educated to DO something. Write to newpapers about the horrible conditions. Anything! I'm a student nurse and I see the situation is bad, but I can guarantee you I will find ways to change it. And no, that is not idealistic, it's proactive. The ones who sit back and complain but do nothing should be ashamed of themself. Sorry if this message sounds harsh but I've heard enough and the truth may hurt...but maybe this will motivate someone to ge a little more involved. Do you think doctors or lawyers would sit and do nothing? No, because they are educated....as we all are. PLease ladies and gentlemen, let's start discussing ideas and pull together. We should be proud of our profession.
So basically what I'm hearing above is to shut my mouth unless I want to be proactive? Nobody likes to hear a whiner. Well, let me tell you what it states at the top of the BB: "for all nurses". Yes, we are all glad to have someone want to jump in there and change things for our better. But as many have said, it hasn't gotten better in a long time. And, since managed care has come to stay, it ain't gonna get better for a long time until there is some legislation passed to ensure safe staffing levels. Yes, we should all write to congress and demand that they take us seriously. California had a law passed within the last year about minimum staffing ratios. It's what we all need, although the medical industry is planning to fight this law all the way.
And, I have heard many above that have chosen to climb out of the trenches and persue other avenues or fields of nursing. Someday I'll be in your shoes too, probably. But I'm not there yet. I've got 32+ years at least until I retire, plenty of time for that second career. I'm still caring for my patients the best I am allowed to and many times doing more than I have time for. We aren't here on this BB "eating our young". We have been trying to tell our side of this story. There is as many sides to the story as there are nurses in this country. Each one should be as important as the next one. But, some people obviously don't want to hear from me because I haven't been having a good attitude lately. Someone who is still in there really needs to tell it like it is, cause it's worse than it ever was. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A NURSE TO DO SOMETHING. Don't wait until you're out of nursing school, TRN, do it NOW! Next time you see something happen at the hospital, during clinicals, or hear about the short staffing or dangerous conditions, you write to your local newspaper, and yes, don't forget to sign your name. All of our family members who have been patients in hospitals should write and tell their congressman about their experience of having to go an unacceptable amount of time to get their call light answered, of not seeing their nurse hardly at all, and of everything else that went wrong with their hospital stay. You can bet the congressman and legislators get VIP treatment when they go in the hospital, so they don't really have a clue about what's going on.
Yes, I have gotten my feathers ruffled over all of this. Why do I stay? Because I love what I do! Why don't I leave? Because I can't afford to and I love what I do. Why don't I quit complaining? Because I have a voice, too. I didn't realize I should keep it shut when I come here to visit. I'm sorry, but those of you who haven't been in it for a while may not remember. And, those of you who haven't gotten in there yet, just wait. And, those of us who are still there, keep at it, because we do make a difference, and improve the lives of our patients. I don't mind doing hard work and I do take a stand, in my unit, and sometimes one patient at a time. Sorry that isn't good enough for some of you.
Yes, many get sick and tired of hearing us that do the complaining. Look at venting on the positive side, it's very therapeutic.
After reading these posts getting caught up, one thought came to my mind. I had a nursing psych instructor who commented to me thatwe all need someplace safe to be angry and show our anger. I think that it is better for all concerned if we have a neutral place like this where we can vent. Because we are somewhat anonymous and we don't work with each other.
I have to admit that the negativity got to me in the beginning, but I needed to refocus. It is better to use the boards to complain, rather than in front of your clients.
So I ask that we not take personal offense at what another says. Think of this as a place to let off steam. And it gives us all a chance to hear the frustration that we feel is real.
Take care of yourselves, don't let yourself get too burned out, remember some day we will need a nurse to care for us.
Mind stimulating stuff as usual...I agree with Nancy1...it doesn't bother me if tempers flare here on the boards...it's important passioniate issues and it's going to go all over with emotions, that's ok.boy I liked justanurse's take...kudos to you. And bigacres, you brought to mind my thoughts on the "white knight" theory...I too till about 10yrs ago was waiting for the white knight to come for me professionally and in my personal life..I had fantasized for years...don't go there stay with me... when the dream came where the knight rides in and all my troubles are taken care of, I lift up the shiny silver face mask to see who is saving me........under the mask is ME...I'm saving my self. It's worked for me ever since.And when I look in the mirror i think I see my self wink!!!I had the power all the time.
goldilocksrn
108 Posts
I have been vehemently trying to make a change at my facility for 1 1/2 years now in regard to staffing, salary, patient safety, etc. What I often hear is "change takes time". I suppose when we as nurses get sick and tired of being sick and tired, then we'll all get together and do something. The key is unity. I think what we need is a nationwide union. Now that's bargaining power. No more strike busting travel agencies to mess things up. We have to be patient and wait for some more fresh nurses to come in to practice. Many of the people in our profession have been nurses for too long to change their ways. When the shortage of nurses becomes critical, that is when we need to start demanding more. Obviously administrators don't feel that panic to keep their staff.