Here is where you can be heard. ANA has all the emails set up and you just fill out the form and it gets sent to your representatives. It's a start.
You can edit your message. I added that nurses need to be protected from administration for expressing concerns about patient safety. I think that is very important. Nurses also need to be protected if they feel it is unsafe.
Specializes in telemetry, medsurg, homecare, psychiatry.
Just got my annual eval. I was dinged for complaining about staffing when I didn't really have the number of patients I said I had. (Apparently I'm not supposed to be living in reality?) I was also told not to put complaints in writing anymore, because it makes ME look bad. You bet your bippy I'm looking into this link! Thanks!
I questionned a supervisor who wanted to send another admission to us one night. I remember reporting that we were too short staffed and how dangerously unsafe the unit was one night.
I was threatenned with insubordination....and blah blah blah:pntlft:
I just joined this site and I am about to end that membership. I am really shocked. First, the grammar and spelling here is amazing. Are you SURE you graduated from that 'tough program and passed that exam"? Second, unsafe care is unsafe care. YOU deliver that care. YOU make it safe or unsafe. When I started nursing in 1986, I had 6 patients and was in charge of a heavy neuromedical floor at a top 10 hospital in the midwest. I had NO CNA or 'tech' to do my work. I had to do it all. I was never late getting out and I gave wonderful care to my patients. I left my rooms clean and my patients too! It was the expectation. Period. The real issue here is work ethic and what is considered 'work'. I work now with a large percentage of lazy, spoiled nurses and I think 98% of them replied to this thread.
If this is what nursing is for you...I am glad to say I am gone from here )
I'm sorry, this just doesn't seem accurate. Reminds me of when my dad said he walked to school, barefoot, uphill....both ways. (he let us know it was a joke., like we didn't know.) Guess, us kids jus don know how lucky we gots it.
It is very accurate. Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. 1986. 11500 was the floor to be exact. We had 6 patients. Total care. NO CNA's or Techs. In fact, in 1991, we were the first division to TRY a tech or NA. All of the NA's had been laid off in 1980 in the big shift to Primary Nursing, and for budgetary reasons, the big hospitals were bringing them back (cheaper manpower). So yes, it is VERY true, I had 6 total care patients, ADULT CVA total care patients. And somehow it got done, and done well, and on time. As a very experienced and very educated nurse (GNP), I see less teamwork today than ever before. More of a rift between nurses and nurse assistants. And while everyone is complaining about this or that, the patient suffers. Love it or leave it. Your own attitude will make or break your day.
It is very accurate. Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. 1986. 11500 was the floor to be exact. We had 6 patients. Total care. NO CNA's or Techs. In fact, in 1991, we were the first division to TRY a tech or NA. All of the NA's had been laid off in 1980 in the big shift to Primary Nursing, and for budgetary reasons, the big hospitals were bringing them back (cheaper manpower). So yes, it is VERY true, I had 6 total care patients, ADULT CVA total care patients. And somehow it got done, and done well, and on time. As a very experienced and very educated nurse (GNP), I see less teamwork today than ever before. More of a rift between nurses and nurse assistants. And while everyone is complaining about this or that, the patient suffers. Love it or leave it. Your own attitude will make or break your day.
The part I have trouble buying is the "I gave wonderful care and never left late." And near that era I cared for 10 patients, at night. No unit sec. and charting was still narrative, but we had to chart everything, not by exception. So I know what the case load was and still is in some hospitals.
Yes, attitude makes a big difference. Still, young nurses today are every bit as dedicated as were we. Just like then some probably should have chosen a different career.
My point was that I heard the same stuff about young nurses, when I was a young nurse.
"Safe" staffing does save lives, too bad it doesn't exist on many, if not most, med-surg and tele floors.
In Federalist paper 51, James Madison argues for constraining the government, and ends the argument by stating that "history" has taught us the need for additional controls.
History has taught nurses that administrations can't be trusted.
And the same can be said for government and unions. We need to know as individuals, when it's time to walk.
Not sure what this is supposed to mean? Not all nurses can walk, it depends on the availability of other institutions. Many nurses working in smaller communities do not have the "options" those of us who live in urban areas have.
No, the answer is not in walking, but in reforming and restructuring.
For decades now, the ANA has been long on rhetoric and short on action. Encouraging the AONE executive level to provide safe staffing has fallen on deaf ears, since they are owned by the AHA.
I strongly encourage all nurses to pay the 30$ per year and support the CNA/NNOC. It is the ONLY nursing organization which has a track record of success.
I don't understand corporate thinking. the amount of lawsuits and complaints HAS to be directly related to poor staffing numbers. if they would budget for even just one more nurse and one more CNA often times that would allow the staff the time they need to take care of the patients the right way....therefore decreasing complaints and lawsuits. because happy customers do not sue.
Not sure what this is supposed to mean? Not all nurses can walk, it depends on the availability of other institutions. Many nurses working in smaller communities do not have the "options" those of us who live in urban areas have.
No, the answer is not in walking, but in reforming and restructuring.
For decades now, the ANA has been long on rhetoric and short on action. Encouraging the AONE executive level to provide safe staffing has fallen on deaf ears, since they are owned by the AHA.
I strongly encourage all nurses to pay the 30$ per year and support the CNA/NNOC. It is the ONLY nursing organization which has a track record of success.
Administration, government and unions all have their own interests at heart. Pretty simple concept. I don't think I can explain it any better.
If you feel that you are doing something by paying union dues. I suggest that you actually consider that you, as an individual, have options.
I strongly encourage all nurses to act and take responsibility for themselves.
You have the power! Don't pay someone to do it for you!
I don't understand corporate thinking. the amount of lawsuits and complaints HAS to be directly related to poor staffing numbers. if they would budget for even just one more nurse and one more CNA often times that would allow the staff the time they need to take care of the patients the right way....therefore decreasing complaints and lawsuits. because happy customers do not sue.
The corporate mindset is actually rather simple-
The only real quarter that matters is this quarter. They pay insurance to handle problems, and the immediate outlay for additional staffing interferes with returns for the quarter.
They think short term, not long term, except for their own viability in the market.
They have no interest in improving community health, since their profits are derived from a lack of health.
They want maximum production from their "staff" at all times, even though they know little about healthcare delivery.
They are elitists, and respect physicians as fellow elitists. Nurses are blue collar workers.
They would rather spend 50 million dollars to improve the lobby of the hospital than spend that money on staffing.
They want and expect "private" dining facilities, private parking, big offices, and big bonuses.
They treat healthcare as a commodity, which it is not, and attempt to run healthcare as they run any other widget business, which they cannot.
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, like we didn't know.) Guess, us kids jus don know how lucky we gots it.
nurseforlife
113 Posts
I questionned a supervisor who wanted to send another admission to us one night. I remember reporting that we were too short staffed and how dangerously unsafe the unit was one night.
I was threatenned with insubordination....and blah blah blah:pntlft: