The Evil Empire Strikes Again

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2009

ChristineN: My advice, I would just finish out your last 6 months so they don't have a hold over you.

You misunderstood. I'm only 6 months in. I have 3 1/2 years to go on my contract.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2009

I see there is more than one Evil Empire in healthcare. I'm a traveler, and the Evil Empire to us is the world's largest travel nursing agency- which has basically screwed up the whole traveling industry.

I suppose all evil empires are kin under their slimy skin.

oramar · Apr 5, 2009

LOL, Don't worry I don't say the "u" word around work. I have been mistreated, and seen so many others mistreated by the dark side it isn't even funny. I have seen people falsely fired, encouraged to push work related injuries under the table, I've seen them refuse to pay for the care related to work related injuries, and more. Not to mention, many of their staffing ratios I find very, very unsafe. The incident that happened back in Dec at Montifore, didn't even surprise me.

Boy, I hope they staff better at the new Children's. I mean it is kids we are talking about. I have heard so many bad things about the old Children's, most of it I think harkens back to bad staffing. If they can pay upwards of twohundredmillion to build a new building they can pay to staff it properly. Unfortunately, I know how they think and they seems to be rich enough for capital improvements but poor when it comes to paying people and staffing properly.

oramar · Apr 5, 2009

The job is tough enough without the employer making it tougher. It's a shame you guys can't band together and strike back against the Evil Empire. Without the RNs, they are nothing (well, they would still own a LOT of real estate ). Some of my friends who were formerly employed by the Evil Empire told me that any talk about unions was dealt with quickly, harshly, and probably illegally. They moved on to smalller, friendlier systems that will (ironically) likely someday be swallowed by the Dark Side.

That is funny, my niece has been an RN for 15 years, 10 of those in ICU. She has move north several times to get away from them when they took over the northern hospitals where she worked. Any more buy outs and she will be in Canada.

Jean1313 · Apr 6, 2009

Oramar-

Too funny but sad at the same time. We probably will end up in Canada. Or, in my case, somewhere on a small island bartending.

Amysuenu · May 31, 2009

Ahh the Evil Empire (UPMC)... I hope these people can sleep at night knowing how us nurses have been treated and the risk involved with patients when the nurse to staff ratio is so high. Injuries... I'm still recovering from a a back injury 6 weeks ago from trying to reposition a patient when we had no aide (the norm most of the time). I went to dr. appts and was to do PT,(which was stopped before even started) then all of the sudden I'm told I'm cured. I wish these people would endure how my back feels and the need to take 1000 mg of Naproxen qd just to help with the inflammation-then there is the muscle relaxers at night when it's real bad.

The most pathetic thing is how the UPMC Northwest facility has gotten so cheap with pt snacks. It has came to the point of near rationing (couting out packs of graham crackers, saltines and peanut butter)!!! Heaven forbid if all the patients on the floor would want them that day!!! No more soup, cereal or made-up sandwiches for late admits or just hungry patients.

My demise, as well as 7 others, was dealt on the 29th. We lost our jobs as part of the overall corporate cutbacks... I hope the patients don't mind even less nurses caring for them...

oramar · May 31, 2009

Ahh the Evil Empire (UPMC)... I hope these people can sleep at night knowing how us nurses have been treated and the risk involved with patients when the nurse to staff ratio is so high. Injuries... I'm still recovering from a a back injury 6 weeks ago from trying to reposition a patient when we had no aide (the norm most of the time). I went to dr. appts and was to do PT,(which was stopped before even started) then all of the sudden I'm told I'm cured. I wish these people would endure how my back feels and the need to take 1000 mg of Naproxen qd just to help with the inflammation-then there is the muscle relaxers at night when it's real bad.
The most pathetic thing is how the UPMC Northwest facility has gotten so cheap with pt snacks. It has came to the point of near rationing (couting out packs of graham crackers, saltines and peanut butter)!!! Heaven forbid if all the patients on the floor would want them that day!!! No more soup, cereal or made-up sandwiches for late admits or just hungry patients.
My demise, as well as 7 others, was dealt on the 29th. We lost our jobs as part of the overall corporate cutbacks... I hope the patients don't mind even less nurses caring for them...

Are you sure they didn't sack you because they know you post on allnurses?

Platypus · May 31, 2009

I have a question for you. Lets say Administration came to you saying we have to cut costs. They gave you an option to take pay cut for the good of the hospital or risk getting cut in lay offs...which would you choose?

I only ask because a question came up about that in my MBA course.

Mind you, personally, I would want to see administrators take a pay cut before they ask me to do it.

I was researching what some of the CEOs at hospitals make - It would make your head spin. Do they really need an income of 3.3 million dollars a year?? and that was after taking a 25% pay cut. Folks - that is about $9000 a DAY.

I hear that Japanese CEOs cannot be paid more than 15 times their lowest paid employee. Maybe we could start a writing campaign to Pres. Obama about that - seems fair to me and would have to raise income for everyone.

Amysuenu · May 31, 2009

I am 100% certain that my posting on here isn't why I lost my job! Anyone that works there knows and has seen what has went down over the last several months.