Reclaiming our Profession

[highlandlass1592]

I've been a nurse for a few years now. When I was wait-listed for nursing school, it seemed the profession was undergoing a change. Many Diploma programs were being closed in my area, the push was again taking place for the Bachelor's degree to be the standard of entry into practice and many nurses in my area were being laid off. When I was finally admitted to nursing school, I embraced the ideas I was being taught wholeheartedly. I LOVED the idea of becoming a nurse. I truly felt I had found my niche.

As a new nurse, I embraced the idea of being "an angel in white". Advocated the idea that nursing was a "calling" that only special people could answer. When I wasn't able to get a break or even a lunch period, I chalked it up to the idea of my calling. I was sacrificing for my patients, they deserved all I had to give even at my own expense. I looked at older nurses that I worked with, ones who didn't seem to "care" (as I so naively assumed), didn't deserve to be called nurses. Only I, as a young, fresh new nurse-so full of myself, could TRULY care...TRULY understood what it meant to be a nurse.

Fast forward to the present day. I've been around the block more than a few times now. Counting my time spent first as a nursing assistant then a tech then finally an RN, I've learned an important lesson: I am NOT an "angel in white". I am a highly trained professional, bringing a high level of experience and knowledge to the table. I have skills that have a high value, I work in a PROFESSION that literally is responsible for people's lives. I can make the difference between a patient having a positive outcome or a negative one. It's taken me 18 years to learn this lesson. (Never said I was a quick learner.) Unfortunately, there aren't too many people out there who realize this about my profession.

I was at Hallmark earlier tonight, looking for a card for a friend who has now been accepted into a Master's program to become an NP. I ran across a few cards that were displayed for Nurses Day, which is fast approaching. I looked at these cards, full of teddy bears, band-aids and sentiment thanking me for my sacrifice, for being an angel. Not one card acknowledged the years of training and study I've undertaken to get to this stage in my career. Not one card acknowledged the responsibility I have in training not only new nurses but new doctors. Not one card recognized my commitment to a profession but to an altrustic idea. To me, these types of sentiment are used to de-value what I do.

Let me put it to you this way: If I am a nurse because I have some altruistic idea, then it's o.k. for hospitals to not pay me for my years of experience. Let's face it, the more years I have in the profession, the less I am compensated. If I'm an "angel" I should accept my place in the healthcare world and realize it's perfectly all right for me to NOT be paid a decent wage, to NOT be compensated for my knowledge, skills and experience. It's o.k. for hospital administrators to dictate staffing matrixes without considering my input because, after all, as a nurse I'm considered a drain on the bottom line not an asset. I should just "suck it up" and realize I'm powerless to do anything about it. I should recognize it's ok for doctors to belittle me, because if I was truly "that smart" I would have went to medical school, not nursing school. If I'm an "angel", I should look to the hearafter for my reward, I should really be putting most of my earnings into a retirement account so I "won't be a drain on society" when my body wears out and I can no longer work as a nurse (honestly, this was quoted in a nursing Journal I have from the 1940's). It's all right for hospitals to give me patients that are so ill I barely have time to care for them, let alone take a bathroom break for myself. I shouldn't complain when some administrator so full of themselves adds another stupid form I have to fill out because really, they think I have plenty of time to fill out redundant paperwork. Heaven forbid I ask for lifting equipment to move my large patients...we can't afford that stuff and reallly, as a nurse you should be able to find other staff to help you move that patient. Heaven forbid you then injure your back...you must be malingering. No reason for you to get hurt when trying to provide care when you are short staffed, you should just be able to make it work.

I have decided to turn in my halo. Maybe I should become the "Norma Rae" of my unit, loudly advocating for our staff and patients. I have found my voice and I am now ready to use it. I am a NURSE and as such deserve your respect not a little angel pin. Don't patronize me telling me how I should learn to work smarter, not harder. And don't expect me to use your script, telling my patients "Truly, I have the time" when I don't. You think you can do my job better? Come walk in my shoes for one shift, just one..I guarantee you won't make it.

It's time for nurses to stand up and say with one voice "We are nurses, this is our profession. We are reclaiming who we are and we're not going to take this anymore!" Who is with me?

[gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN]

I just finished working overnight with a lady who believes nursing is a calling. She has worked 12 nights in a row. I asked her "why??". Her comment to me was "the hospital needs nurses so badly, we are so understaffed" I do not for the life of me get this mentality. This woman was so tired last night she could barely stand up. SHE IS ALSO COMING IN TONIGHT. She is somewhat of a saint. She does not take any breaks. She actually visits with other patients that she previously had. However, I believe that she is making herself sick. She does not look healthy. Our charge nurse is even worried about her. I told her last night if she keeps coming in everynight she won't even be around for the hospital. By the way, we make 18/hour. I know it cannot be for the money that motivates her.

[spotonthewall]

When I was in the military, and we had been put on alert due to some impending danger, then we would work over, ordering out for pizza because we couldn't go home. These situations didn't happen often but they were important: the security of the whole United States was at stake. Now, as a nurse, I am routinely expected to do doubles for patients found in the gutters, who never joined the military because they only cared about themselves. As I handed out meds last Sunday, a day supposedly forbidden by God to work on, the thought came to mind of me sitting on a sword and rotating. **** the "calling" thing. It is a fortunate nurse who can work 9-4 M-F in a doctor's office.

[wondern, ASN]

"Fast forward to the present day. I've been around the block more than a few times now. Counting my time spent first as a nursing assistant then a tech then finally an RN, I've learned an important lesson: I am NOT an "angel in white". I am a highly trained professional, bringing a high level of experience and knowledge to the table. I have skills that have a high value, I work in a PROFESSION that literally is responsible for people's lives. I can make the difference between a patient having a positive outcome or a negative one. It's taken me 18 years to learn this lesson. (Never said I was a quick learner.) Unfortunately, there aren't too many people out there who realize this about my profession. ...

I have decided to turn in my halo. Maybe I should become the "Norma Rae" of my unit, loudly advocating for our staff and patients. I have found my voice and I am now ready to use it. I am a NURSE and as such deserve your respect not a little angel pin. Don't patronize me telling me how I should learn to work smarter, not harder... Come walk in my shoes for one shift, just one..I guarantee you won't make it....

It's time for nurses to stand up and say with one voice "We are nurses, this is our profession. We are reclaiming who we are and we're not going to take this anymore!" Who is with me? " quoted from highlandlass1592

:bow::yelclap::yelclap::heartbeatOH YEAH, right on, tell it, sister, tell it just exactly like it is, sister in nursing! That was really beautiful! Thanks for taking the time and energy to share that very enlightening piece of wisdom. Maybe we should all just change the name on our ID badges to Norma Rae, after all what's the difference, we're all just a number...esp in will to work states. We do need to join together and speak up as one!

Cheaper is better for big business. So, why not just crumble you up and throw you out when you reach a certain pay scale, a certain level of experience and skills...who cares, really?! Who has protected nurses and our rights as well as our patients so far??? Who, who... who, who, who:idea:??????????

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

I am impressed. I love articles (at the risk of being too sentimental and sounding like one of those "calling" nurses) that speak from the heart and say "This is where I am at with it all because life put me here." I can go read a book on this and that theory about w/e subject I want, but what is of value today is our experiences, can't get that from a book. I loved hearing your experiences very much.

[Music in My Heart]

When I was in the military, and we had been put on alert due to some impending danger, then we would work over, ordering out for pizza because we couldn't go home. These situations didn't happen often but they were important: the security of the whole United States was at stake. Now, as a nurse, I am routinely expected to do doubles for patients found in the gutters, who never joined the military because they only cared about themselves. As I handed out meds last Sunday, a day supposedly forbidden by God to work on, the thought came to mind of me sitting on a sword and rotating. **** the "calling" thing. It is a fortunate nurse who can work 9-4 M-F in a doctor's office.

Not that joining the military means anything. There are quite a number of dirtbag losers in the military and former military.

I say this as a veteran Marine with my father and two uncles as veterans, my best friend as a veteran, two of my brothers as veterans, and one nephew presently serving in Afghanistan.

As with nursing and law enforcement and fire service, the military is simply a job with a defined set of responsibilities. None of these vocations are callings and doing them does not a hero make.

[wondern, ASN]

Quote by highlandlass1592 c the parts I esp id'd c bolded~"Let me put it to you this way: If I am a nurse because I have some altruistic idea, then it's o.k. for hospitals to not pay me for my years of experience. Let's face it, the more years I have in the profession, the less I am compensated. If I'm an "angel" I should accept my place in the healthcare world and realize it's perfectly all right for me to NOT be paid a decent wage, to NOT be compensated for my knowledge, skills and experience. It's o.k. for hospital administrators to dictate staffing matrixes without considering my input because, after all, as a nurse I'm considered a drain on the bottom line not an asset. I should just "suck it up" and realize I'm powerless to do anything about it. I should recognize it's ok for doctors to belittle me, because if I was truly "that smart" I would have went to medical school, not nursing school. If I'm an "angel", I should look to the hearafter for my reward, I should really be putting most of my earnings into a retirement account so I "won't be a drain on society" when my body wears out and I can no longer work as a nurse (honestly, this was quoted in a nursing Journal I have from the 1940's). It's all right for hospitals to give me patients that are so ill I barely have time to care for them, let alone take a bathroom break for myself. I shouldn't complain when some administrator so full of themselves adds another stupid form I have to fill out because really, they think I have plenty of time to fill out redundant paperwork. Heaven forbid I ask for lifting equipment to move my large patients...we can't afford that stuff and reallly, as a nurse you should be able to find other staff to help you move that patient. Heaven forbid you then injure your back...you must be malingering. No reason for you to get hurt when trying to provide care when you are short staffed, you should just be able to make it work."

:bow::w00t:Yes, not only are we angels, we're magic with superpowers, too!!! We can even pull staff from... well, you know..:dancgrp:

Quote by spotonthewall~"...the thought came to mind of me sitting on a sword and rotating. **** the "calling" thing..."

:rolleyes: I believe this may be called 'sit and spin' ...as one nurse I used to know and work with referred to it.

Whether it's a calling or not, or maybe even both for some folks, who knows, I guess it depends on how one defines, a 'calling'. Some folks may feel a 'calling' is simply a choice they made to follow through with a goal to do something with their lives that includes a career which just happens to help others.

The main issue about 'reclaiming our profession' to me is not whether it is a calling or not as much as this~We are all in the profession together and worked hard to get here, there, everywhere, and then learned even more with our experience as with most skilled professions. We honed our assessment skills, let's say. No administrator, manager, coworker gang with mob mentality, or anyone else should be able to take your job for fictitious reasons, and from flat out bullying and targeting, esp after working there for almost 20 years. I believe it's called a magnet facility. :smackingf:thankya::grad: Go figure!

We should have rights and protection of our jobs after working so hard like any other profession whether it's a calling or not! We are not drains, darnit! We are nurses!

Also, we have morals, as well as brains! When we meet at what we feel are important meetings scheduled with a head of our dept. to help resolve ongoing clinical issues, even if we like the song, we don't want him to be playing Al Green's, Let's Get it ON with varying volumes via his stereo's remote control , turning it up at the chorus while we're speaking. :barf01:

It's especially uncomfortable when it's just the two of you in his office. :chair:

Yes, Norma Rae, let's 'reclaim our profession'! Let's do it now! Keep speaking out! :yelclap:

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

It doesn't bother me too much that some nurses feel they had the magical "calling" into the profession, although I see the OP's point about where it can lead in terms of wages and working conditions. What really gets me is when the "called" nurses want to look down on others who chose the profession for varied, or non-altruistic in their eyes, reasons. I mean, Heaven forbid someone chooses a profession based on research and thought, or even a pro/con list like I did (GASP!)

I don't think money or the promise of employment (which isn't really true anymore anyway) should be the only reason somone goes into this profession. You can tell when someone is in it only for a paycheck, and I've seen patient care suffer because of it. But that does not mean that taking those and other non-angelic factors into consideration when deciding to pursue nursing makes someone any less of a nurse than the one who has wanted to be a nurse their whole live because it is their calling. In fact, I'd argue that the one who came to the decision based on logic and considering all factors may just have sharper critical thinking skills

[juliedhl]

I love how you described your attitude from your very entry into the profession and must admit that I could relate to the very words you spoke. I too entered into the field as a nursing assistant looking for a change in my work life. When I first entered college I did so thinking that I might want to go into the medical field but tribulations (mostly of my own doing) detered my path in the educational process. I entered nursing school when I was in my late 30's and just this past year finished my BSN at age 53. Along with the years spent working as a nurse (CNA, LPN, RN, BSN) my attitude and view of my own work ethics have matured and today I see the field of nursing and what I do as a highly trained and educated professional, and would like to be compensated and respected as such. Thank you for reinforcing and encouraging us all to think as professionals because we do make a difference and as the most "respected profession" would hate to see a world without us. Julie

[Music in My Heart]

You can tell when someone is in it only for a paycheck...

What is the definition of being "in it only for a paycheck?"

At its foundation, the paycheck is the only reason that I do it. The second that they stop paying me, I stop showing up. If they want me to stay over but refuse to cough up the double-time, I go home. Does that mean that I'm only in it for the paycheck. Perhaps. That said, I try very hard to be a great nurse and to provide excellent care to my patients. That is, after all, what the hospital is paying me for and what the patients are "paying" for (to whatever degree they are or through whatever reimbursement mechanism is in place).

On the other hand, I will be spending 14 hours of my own time volunteering at a free clinic the day after my 3x12 NOC shifts finish. I'm not doing this out of "calling" but rather simply continuing my lifelong practice of sharing my "talents" (that is, money, skills, time, energy) with people who are in need.

I really am looking for input regarding the meaning of "in it only for a paycheck."

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

It doesn't bother me too much that some nurses feel they had the magical "calling" into the profession, although I see the OP's point about where it can lead in terms of wages and working conditions. What really gets me is when the "called" nurses want to look down on others who chose the profession for varied, or non-altruistic in their eyes, reasons. I mean, Heaven forbid someone chooses a profession based on research and thought, or even a pro/con list like I did (GASP!)

I don't think money or the promise of employment (which isn't really true anymore anyway) should be the only reason somone goes into this profession. You can tell when someone is in it only for a paycheck, and I've seen patient care suffer because of it. But that does not mean that taking those and other non-angelic factors into consideration when deciding to pursue nursing makes someone any less of a nurse than the one who has wanted to be a nurse their whole live because it is their calling. In fact, I'd argue that the one who came to the decision based on logic and considering all factors may just have sharper critical thinking skills

TBH, I don't know where on the fence I happen to land according to the vague descriptions of "Calling vs. Job" nurses.

I made less as a landscaper, but had a M-F job with a lot of side benefits that made extra cash readily available. I had, at one time, a boss who let me use one of the company trucks (I didn't own a car at the time) whenever I had a big event to go to or needed to get grocery shopping done. Never heard of a nurse being allowed to borrow a hospital car for a weekend. But, push come to shove.....................I do much better financially as a nurse (retirement savings, health benefits etc). So....................part of my reasons for being here are to satisfy the lower portions of "Maslow's Hierarchy".

But the draw of retirement funds alone would not have gotten me where I am. I had to work like a DOG for a long time to get my school loans caught up enough to be able to return to school. Then, for the 2.5 years I was in school, I lived by counting pennies and nickels. A "night on the town" for me was a pizza and watching a DVD. I was brought up that we should choose our careers and path in life with "community" in mind. What we do adds to the community in same way/shape or form, and we are given a paycheck in return to we may purchase necessities and w/e our heart desires. I always felt a great nurse was of value to the community. Not that there is anything wrong with landscaping, flipping burgers or running the cash register at the local gas station if thats what you can do................you too are adding your part to the community. But if you are capable of more and choose not to do so simply because you dislike challenge in life...........well then, you are cheating yourself and your "community". So, in part, I felt called to nursing because I felt like I contributed more that way. I felt I was contributing all I could as opposed to simply doing w/e to get a paycheck.

That part sounds an awful lot like how the "calling nurses" talk. So, IDK which side of the fence I am on. I guess balance with a little of both worlds is alright.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

What is the definition of being "in it only for a paycheck?"

By that I mean the fact that nursing is relatively well paying and (used to be) easy to find a job in is the ONLY reason the person picked it. Let's face it, we are a helping profession, and you have to have something inside of you that wants to take care of people to do this work.

I in NO way mean that I would do this for free, lol. Sorry if it implied that.

[Meg, RN]

I completely agree! I'm a new nurse and disagree that nursing is a "calling." I feel like that's just an excuse for us to put up with having long hours, little appreciation, cut pay, and to be demeaned by those who think nurses aren't as intelligent as doctors. And I don't mean to sound jaded already (not even a year of experience under my belt here). It's just what I've seen in the short time I've been working. I also don't mean to generalize. Just my perspective. I feel that the OP summarizes it wonderfully.