Should we have a National Union ????

buck227 · Mar 28, 2001

Yes

But how would you get that many nurses to agree on anything. They should have a union and make me King. I would fix it or Off with their heads!

Rex · Mar 28, 2001

laughing my @ss off I bet you would Buck guess I would have to vote for ya too I like your style

Sunshine55 · Mar 28, 2001

Yes - very thought provoking! I've previously been in CSEA (Civil Servant Employees Assoc.) up North. Here in Florida it is ANTI-union. Believe me when I say there is great fear among workers concerning any talk of organization. I worked for one company where management had weekly mandatory anti-union meetings in order to feed you propaganda and scare tactics. People were extremely fearful for their jobs. Of course, the union was voted down. They even had butt-kissing spies for management attending the off-site organization meetings to report who went. Also, in Florida it is an open shop state. Within any one company, if a union is voted in, members sign up to belong and pay union dues. But, those not wishing to join have the right not to, but gain all the same negotiated benefits as dues paying members. Interesting to hear that Texas has few unions - I know many Republicans are against organizing. George W. Bush just left Texas as Governor and Florida has his brother Jeb Bush as Governor. Hmmmm! Will definitely be watching for any details on this thread.

Mijourney · Mar 28, 2001

Hi Rex. A national union? In my experiences, most nurses can't even come to a consensus under one employer. The ANA, I believe, already has an arm of their group unionized. If not, someone correct me.

In previous posts, I've written about the merits of unionization in some form. However, I realize that the problems we have in nursing are ingrained and will take a very long time to overcome if we don't completely disintegrate. I am going to modify my position by writing that national unionization can be an important gesture as long as the models that it is established by are user friendly and creative for patients, their families and bedside nurses. Nursing is unique, so we really have to be careful about adopting alot of old, worn out methods of handling issues, concerns, and problems.

Rex · Mar 29, 2001

jt 120,000 wow doesnt seem like very many to me. I 've got more night crawlers in a couple of jars than that, and only RNs? good ole boys club right? ya we have those down here. really what I was refering to was a national union, and I agree with Mijourney it would need special tatics in dealing with problems. the picket signs would not be the answer. well obviously it appears this is not a very popular antidote for what ails nursing but what comes after a March on good ole DC? or what profit does tha ANA bring RNs with only a measley 120,000 nurses and is thier agenda selfish in nature as thier membership criteria is? in my mind the only true answer is a Union other wise who controls change? the Goverment? the ANA? I cant see one day of marching doing much with out more to back it.

-jt · Mar 29, 2001

Originally posted by Mijourney:
Hi Rex. A national union? In my experiences, most nurses can't even come to a consensus under one employer. The ANA, I believe, already has an arm of their group unionized. If not, someone correct me.

youre right...its a national RN union 120,000 RN members strong so far...
http://UANnurse.org
http://www.ana.org/dlwa/barg/index.htm

nursedeedee · Mar 30, 2001

What the profession of nursing really needs, is to pull itself together, and standardize. Look at the teachers, they have set standards for education, ceritifications, pay etc....they got it together for the most part, and are benefitting. I have a non-nursing 4 year degree, a two year associates degree from St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing, I am nationally certified by ANCC, have nine years experience in cardiology(critical care, telemetry, cardio lab)....so what???? So, some fool comes along and says, "well you don't have a BSN, so you don't rate"....yadda yadda

Does it make me any less worthy? Alot of you are probably getting pretty defensive right now about your BSN's. I'm not putting them down. But at 37 years old with two college degrees, a 3 year old and a one year old, do I still need to go back to college for the 3rd, and possibly a FOURTH for a master's degree, before other nurses only look at "the papers" and consider me worthy? I think you get my drift. The point I'm making is, that there are many ways in which we can become nurses, and all are viewed different by ourselves and our institutions. Sometimes for the worse, and sometimes for the better. WE need a license, like lawyers, and doctors, and I SURE don't need to bring up the pay issue.......So maybe a national SOMETHING.. we have alot of national somethings, but bottom lines in the work place don't seem to be changing for the better.

Q. · Mar 30, 2001

Nurse DeeDee-

Perhaps what a standardization would mean is a 4 year degree of ANY sort - obviously yours included, not necessarily about a BSN.

A BSN prepared nurse (most of them that I work with) don't think they necessarily know MORE about nursing than non BSNs. We touch on some theory and learn about nursing theorists (which is interesting) but I think the point is having a college degree. ANY college degree. You, as a college grad, obviously know the benefits of the 4 year degree. I truly believe it opens your mind and expands your knowledge - which I think the proponents of the BSN requirement are shooting for.

I am all for standardization of nursing. What if the standard was an ADN?? Same thing in my mind. It's not about what is better, but it sets a standard so that we, as a profession, can better define ourselves, and the public has an even greater understanding of what we do.

Look at the confusion already. LPNs, RNs, etc. For god sake's, Texas calls their LPNs LVNs or whatever it is. I don't even know.

I really think the key is to find out why nursing school enrollment is down. We need to find these kids and find out what it is that shys them away from the profession before they even start. I once read in a copy of AJN that some points of the turn-off is the non-standarization and lack of compensation for higher education. I mean, really, what is the incentive for learning more other than personal gain? That can only take you so far.

You mentioned all your certifications, your degree, and your desire to get your graduate degree. In my mind, you should be compensated for that. You have chosen to go above and beyond what some nurses do. But, the problem is, above and beyond what? We have no standard so therefore there is nothing to judge you by.

BSN prepared nurses, or even nurses with a BA of any sort need to learn just as much on the job as anyone else. Learning also never stops. But I think that there is something to be said for ANY person who has the college degree. It's not the paper the degree is printed on but what they gained. I really think that it is something that needs to be looked at in more depth.

Incidently, the UW-Milwaukee campus has an accelerated program in our nursing program for people wanting to be an RN but have a bachelor's degree in something else. Just some food for thought...

nursedeedee · Mar 31, 2001

Well,Suzy K, Your pints well taken. Non the less, I am discouraged by all this nursing"mess" and if I did go back to school, It wouldn't be in nursing. My hospital doesn't pay you anymore money for holding one, but you sure as hell better have one if you want to "move up on the ladder" I think i'll go be a veterinarian.

nursedeedee · Mar 31, 2001

O.K. I shouldn' be a sceretary either because my typing stinkss!

-jt · Apr 1, 2001

Originally posted by Susy K:
I am all for standardization of nursing. What if the standard was an ADN?? Same thing in my mind. It's not about what is better, but it sets a standard so that we, as a profession, can better define ourselves, and the public has an even greater understanding of what we do. [Q]

I agree completely.

An aside: most of the staff Rns in my ICU are Masters-prepared. 3 are even NPs who choose to remain at the bedside. The rest are a mix of ADN, diploma, BSN, & the majority of them are in school for their BSN or NP. Our contract guarantees 100% tuition reimbursement so a lot of the nurses make use of it. Thats how we ended up with so many Masters Rns still choosing to work at the bedside, and so many more in school.