Southern Nurses Better Off Than The Rest?

Nurses Activism

Published

You may not believe this (or maybe you will!) but I just heard that nurses from states in the South (ie: Mississippi) recently stated to other nurses at the national American Nurses Association convention in Philadelphia that:

"there are no problems with staffing and mandatory overtime" in their states.

If that statement is true - great! Maybe they can tell the rest of us how they did it! (I wonder if the nurses working in pt care in the South know how good they supposedly have it there).

But we also heard from the unionized states in the South (GA, FL, KY, AL, WV, NC, to name a few) that there are terrible problems with staffing in that region of the country. Apparently it is just the non-union Southern states that think everything is just peachy at the bedsides in the South.

These RNs are the leaders elected by nurses in their states to speak for nursing to the legislatures, media, & profession as THE voice of nursing in those states, and they are saying that their states nurses have no problems at the bedsides!!

Any RN here from Mississippi who can back that up?? :)

If some of the Southern RN delegates at the convention are really unaware & misinformed (and are misinforming their legislatures & the rest of the country about the real deal that staff RNs are facing in their states), then staff RNs really need to get into those Southern state nurses assoc & give those people an education, or else nothing is going to get any better for the RN at the bedside in those states.

I wonder why they havent heard from the staff nurses about the staffing shortages they are experiencing. Or have they heard & are just not telling the truth to the rest of us? Or is it true as they say that there are no staff shortages??

Anyway, Southern staff nurse BB friends - please clear this up for me - Do you really NOT have a problem with staffing or mandatory OT in your states?????:eek:

thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×

After reading the posts here, I have to tell you that we seem to be in heaven. There has never been mention of mandatory OT, and our matrix calls for days- 7 Rns,4 techs,1 secy for 32 pts. This is a 350 bed hospital, busy med-surg floor. The problem is that nurses are not applying for hire. I am told by nurses from other states that they have never seen the amount of paperwork that we have. We are non-union. Our salary is less that northern states, but I think cost of living is less. I'm in a suburb of Atlanta. Will be interesting to hear what others think.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is a shortage in FLA.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by Harleyhead

There is a shortage in FLA.

Yeah, and they don't wanna pay us either. :o

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

where i am working and have worked and every sunday i read the want ads, they need not only lpns and rns, but cnas too. a true shortage remains to be seen or is it some nurses have either gone to other fields, agency, retired, stopped all together or have gone back to school for management positions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Would have responded sooner to your post but I was changing my adult undergarment due to stress incontinence

(urine only this time!!!!!)... hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

Nurses in the "south" of where???

Never-never-land...???? Wish I had been there...I would have set them straight...

Perhaps these nurses don't have to endure mandated overtime however I do not care for them speaking on my behalf... I am appalled they would DARE speak for me and my PEERS...

And you mentioned unionized Southern states...I am sure there is union representation in "some"southern states however,most of us live in "right to work" states...and the very mention of UNION around here is grounds for termination.

Oh my...I may have to join that friggin org to set the record straight...you see,I have all ideas they were either managers/administrators or their flunkies who "candy coat" any and all situations just to keep from rocking the boat. The bedside nurses are floundering yet they tell the powers that be that "everything is alright, you know how girls like to fuss about everything"... I have spent many an hour informing CEO's of concerns of their nursing staff only to be told "really,I had no idea that was going on"...OK...I could also tell them that I understand that in order to be a member of management one must be adept

at the practice of deceit...probably knew all along.

Oh yes,we southern nurses are mandated to work overtime. Don't let anything these idiots said convince you of anything that even remotely suggests differently. Our newspapers are filled with vacant positions which may become filled temporaily but the slots become vacant again once the staff sees that we are are issued shovels and hip boots as part of the uniform. The positions open are not only for the more rural areas but also for the major medical centers of our states. Teaching institutions along with with smaller institutions...we all have more in common than one would think...we are as stressed as any of our beloved peers the world over...

I have personally contacted representatives from my state nurses association and have been assured that my concerns are being addressed not only state wide but also nation wide...and now I hear your news... aaaarrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!

I have also contacted senators and representatives regarding the seriousness of the nursing shortage on health care... recieved form letters of feigned concern...our society is filled with deceit... and liars and a$$ kissers.

Yes manyof us ARE working mandatory overtime. And just to re-iterate what sleepyeyes said...and they don't want to pay us either...

This just chaps my hide.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

yes & they are "right-to-work" states too. Still they are unionizing & making things better slowly but surely. So to hear from those union RNs in MO, FL, KY, GA, AL, NC & WV tell all their stories about the workplace conditions they are dealing with, including short staffing, & then the next day to hear other nurses refute that by saying they dont have any staffing shortages or forced overtime in that region (ie: MIssissippi) was a little too ridiculous to take.

Whats worrisome is that those people who dont think there is any problem in their states are the ones making the decisions for the nurses in those states! Can you imagine them up in your state capitol assuring your legislatures that you at the bedside dont have any of the problems that the rest of the countrys nurses are facing??? RNs, their state associations & unions are getting state laws passed everywhere else to fix these things & your states will be left in the dust because these people think there is no need for any such laws because there is no problem! Unreal.

The state associations have power with the media & the legislature. We have to be sure they are giving the right story. So Yes, more people like you need to get into their state associations, be heard, & set the record straight cause this is downright scary.

Self-preservation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, nationwide yes - but I dont know about statewide in your state. Maybe your state is working hard on the issues - I dont know if it was anybody from your state that made those ridiculous comments. Which state are you in? Ill see if I can find out more specific dirt for you ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Nurse's union in Ga.???? What union is this???

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i work in mississippi, and the hospitals seem to have blinders on. the hospitals use large amounts of agency nurses to fill in, we often work short staffed . and lots of hours. last 2 week pay period i worked 147 hours

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The collective bargaining branch of the Georgia Nurses Association. Its part of the 26 state nurses associations that comprise the national RN labor union The United American Nurses/AFL-CIO - the union branch of the American Nurses Association. Already representing RNs at the Atlanta VA & Augusta VA, they are expanding to wherever RNs in that state invite them. More info is available at:

http://www.georgianurses.org/labor_relations_unit.htm

http://www.UANnurse.org

http://www.georgianurses.org/collective_barganing.htm

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.

I am in NW Florida not far from Mobile, Ala. and believe me the shortage is here.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment