The "Warm Body" Syndrome

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Hello, all. I'm just wondering if anyone else has seen or felt the "Warm Body" Syndrome occur at their workplaces, where management does not really value or care for staff nurses. At my place of employment, nurses are viewed as warm bodies who fill staffing needs. The only time they give the nameless, faceless nurses a second thought is when the place is severely understaffed, and the staffing coordinator is scrambling to call everyone on the list to cajole them into coming to work.

Nurses are very low on the interdisciplinary food chain at my job. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, dietary, and other disciplines do not seem to be afflicted with this "Warm Body" Syndrome. I suspect it is due to the fact that the facility cannot operate without nurses, yet we're the first to feel the detrimental effects of cost savings and pushes for customer service. Nursing staff is also more readily replaceable than staff members from other departments.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I have seen this. As I mentioned previously, I will be starting med-surg per diem. I have heard many of my co-workers in my clinic who have done the same thing ponder this, because they have received calls from the in patient supervisors asking if they can come to their unit and work 12 hours. The nurse would say something like "I get off of this clinic at 9:00pm, and have to return here tomorrow morning at 8:30am" and the supervisor would say "Oh, you can handle that..." Never mind the safety of the patient or the license of the nurse. Who cares??? As long as their butts are covered. I plan to give them my cell phone and if I can't make it...too bad. I want the experience, but do not wish to bite my nose to spite my face.

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I swear it has to do with the state. I just read something about the best and worst states to work and New York came in like 36 and Vermont in the top 10. Well, I always felt undervalued in NYS and here, in a new job across the pond (Lake Champlain), I feel vaued.

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Specializes in neuro, med/surg/, cardiac care.

I biggest issue with the warm body syndrome is when I have applied to work in an area and don't meet the criteria they are looking for, but when they are minus a nurse suddenly I am just what they need. That is reason why I do not float to those areas even if I am desperate for a shift. So sorry, I have only worked 19 plus years, don't feel "comfortable " going there. CLICK!

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Specializes in LTC, Post OP.

This is how i have been feeling at my LTC which is why i decide to give the hospital a go. Thw wine and complain about overtime etc. but let them need u, then the care about overtime out the door, my job started this new thing that u will not get paid for the first 2.5 hours that are over 80, loll

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

At times, this is how they treat LPNs in general. The cancer clinic in my hospital removed the LPNs because they wanted RNs to assess; but would then, float the same LPNs they removed when they were short.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
At times, this is how they treat LPNs in general. The cancer clinic in my hospital removed the LPNs because they wanted RNs to assess; but would then, float the same LPNs they removed when they were short.
Yep. Administration blatantly says and does things to convey their lack of regard for nurses, but they're desperate to get the "warm bodies" to fill the myriad of shifts so they can keep from becoming too short-staffed.

I swear. Their only concerns are that you you have a license and a pulse. Management seems to care about nothing else after that (except for money).

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

And here I thought that only happened where I work! :uhoh3:

my job started this new thing that u will not get paid for the first 2.5 hours that are over 80, loll

That's not legal. I'd call the labor board in a heartbeat if they tried that with my hard earned money!:angryfire

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

There is definitely the "Warm Body" Syndrome around here. I could apply at 10 different LTC facilities today and be hired either today or tomorrow. Hospitals on the other hand would rather kick me to the curb rather than have me even fill out an application. It's weird how it works around here. I justed started Hospice and they actually screened, interviewed twice and checked all references before even considering me, which made me feel wanted, rather than just a warm body. And by the way at first I wasn't sure about Hospice, but I love it now. What a new concept in nursing 1:1. Love it.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Here is an example of warm body syndrome...I requested three days off this week, and my head nurse thought that I was scheduled for two weeks (I do start vacation after tomorrow). I walked in today, and she IMMEDIATELY erased my name from the off list and handed me 6 injections to administer before I can laughingly run out (they were about to see the dust kicking off of my shoes).

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