The solution to nursing problems

vemiliob · Oct 14, 2002

It seems to be an international problem, but as you see in essence we are all the same. We don't undestand the power that lies behind us.

For instance in my place there are far more physicians than prepared nurses, but they continue holding a high status while we remain on the botton. They are the clinics and private Hospitals' owners and occupy the 100% of the Public Political Charges in Health Caring.

We DO NOT realize that no health care institution can function a minute without Nursing. It looks like we all are low profile. "Well, our roots are not the best to build an unconscious basement of self-esteem to allow a sane growing of our professional status". On past times we where male-slaves and female prostitutes or nuns. No duoubt, in the collective imagination we remain so.

The real problem lies in our deep unconscious. If we don't change it inside, nothing will change it for us.

Alley Cat · Oct 14, 2002

Nursing shortage? In our area, there's such an economic crunch that people with college degrees, no matter what field they are in, are willing to push brooms or flip burgers. The clincher? If you have a college degree, employers won't hire you to just flip burgers--you're overqualified. Our facility is in a hiring freeze because of financial problems, we remain understaffed for the winter (and it was bad last year), and there are rumors that there's going to be another big layoff. And then they wonder why there's a shortage? I honestly feel it's been artificially created. The nurses are out there--they're just sick of being treated like crap. Long-term employees feel short changed when hiring bonuses are offered to newcomers, new grads want the same pay that I'm getting after 19 years (3 years of which no raises were given out to anyone), and hospitals are no different in the business world than factories are--we're all just a number, nothing more. Unions have been voted down (too much bad press locally), and I'm not sure I totally agree with that approach--we're talking people here, not machinery parts or assembly lines. I'm not sure of my stance on travelers--there are several who have really bailed us out of bad staffing situations, and my experience has been that they have selected traveling as a way to deal with their own financial crunches and/or burn out.

-jt · Oct 15, 2002

Since we're talking people here, thats all the more reason to become unified. As a union, the law provides you with an equal seat at the table with your employer. The employer knows about $$$ - not about taking care of patients - but YOU do, so its that much more important that you have that equal seat when it comes to the decisions that will affect them. And you get that legally bound only as a union.

As a union, you have legal backing that obligates the employer to relinquish some of the control to you. You share in the decision making on all issues that affect you, your practice, your pts, and your conditions of employment. Your job is not decided for you. It has to be decided WITH you and with your approval.

IE: The hospital cant decide its own staffing ratios - how many nurses will take care of how many pts - the NURSES have to have an equal say in that & agree to whatever decision is made by BOTH sides - not what the hospital alone decides.

Having an equal voice in your workplace is no different if you are working with machinery in a factory or with pts in a hospital. But when you are working with pts in a hospital, its that much more imperative that you do have a say in how that work is to be done & everything that affects you and it. In non-union facilities, you will only get that say IF the employer ALLOWS you to have it. And only for however long he allows it. And only to the extent that he allows it. And whatever input he does allow you to have, he doesnt have to listen to at all. And he can take away your ability to have input at anytime & run rough-shod all over you if he so chooses. Not so in union facilities & thats the key reason why the RNs place is in an RN union.

In union facilities, the employer cant do any of those things - they must listen to the nurses & take action on their issues together with them. In union facilities, the control of what will be 'allowed' to nurses is taken away from the employer, because the law already gives all that to you & your employer does not have a choice. He is obligated to work with you in good faith & can be punished by the law if he dares try to avoid that.

The fact that we are working with peoples lives makes it that much important that we do have the legal right to an equal say in the decision making that affects us & those pts & that the employer cant take that power away from us. Because peoples lives depend on us, all the more reason why we should be unified and have the law behind us that guarantees we, as a union, are part of the process in making the decisions that affect those lives.

Youda · Oct 15, 2002

The sad fact is the corporations treat people like machinery parts, not the unions. Healthcare has been dehumanized at the expense of profit.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Oct 15, 2002

The union has been good for us at our place. The management requires no creativity in dealing with problems/issues though either. It's just..."the contract says.." with little care for the individuals paying the dues. We are better off with it, just because of who is on the management "team".

Azure_Skies · Oct 16, 2002

I have often wondered about the ramifications of actually acting out this scenario. The problem is, I can't see any of the nurses I work with actually taking that kind of step. We are in our profession because we are kind and compassionate people; that is our strength and our weakness. Our loyalty to our patients, and for some, to our employers stymies any actual unity for this kind of action. What's more, our employers/managers etc. know it.

If anyone ever did organize a "sick out," I would be there.

BTW, new to this site. :)

Youda · Oct 16, 2002

welcome, azure_skies!

:cool: :balloons: :clown:

-jt · Oct 16, 2002

Thats the fault of the nursing eduation programs in this country that do not teach nursing history. Would we have been graduating generations of enabling handmaiden doormats if, in nursing school, we had been required to study our nursing history & the writings of activist RNs like Lillian Wald - who fought for womens rights in the workplace & national labor laws, organized women into labor unions, and in her spare time created the concept of home care & the Visiting Nurses Assoc, while helping to establish the NAACP - and did it all 100 years ago?

What is wrong with todays nurses is that they dont know from where they came & the great fighters that came before us - who are probably turning over in their graves right now watching what nurses will allow to be done to themselves. If not for ourselves, then at least out of respect for RNs like Lillian Wald who fought so hard to make sure we have as much as we have today, we should feel obligated to continue the fight for improvements.

outbackannie · Oct 17, 2002

I work at a "For-Profit" Hospital which is a part of a chain of health care facilities located throughout the USA.. Nursing and ancillary staff is one of the lowest budgeted categories. It makes me angry and feel insulted when we are berated in the interest of patient care for having overtime or are denied requests for basic equipment (like IV pumps or dynamaps) and I happen to pass the Physician's lounge to view extravagant full-course meals provided by the hospital to entice the docs to attend a meeting.

In January 2003, thanks to the California Nurse's Association, hospitals in California will be required by law to maintain a nurse-patient ratio prescribed by law depending on the department; i.e. Med-Surg 1:5, ICU 1:2, etc.

My point is that the State's Nursing Association is the most powerful "union" which can effect legislation forcing hospitals to make changes which directly benifit nursing and patient care.

gojack · Oct 17, 2002

I think that the main problem that nurses have, is that the administrators run the State Boards. We are scared to speak up because we know that there are unscrupulous people over us, that will try to yank our licenses in a heartbeat if it serves their purposes. We can see how the patients are treated, and we come to know that we can expect no better for ourselves.

This comes about because there are 2 groups of RNs; one group that does the work, and the other group that call themselves RNs, but in reality, have been incorporated into low level administrators. This fools the general public, and it fools many of our fellow workers.

The only solution to this, is to try to unite all the real care-givers whether they be licensed or not. Nurses need to fight for the LVNs and CNAs to be able, even, to fight for themselves.

The best way would be to begin a fight for all nursing personnel, licensed or non-licensed, to have PAID BY THE EMPLOYER medical benefits. It's a crime that care givers are working without health coverage themselves. Especially for the lowest paid CNAs.

Judge all unions, state nurses associations, and any other nurses professional organizations by how they mobilize (or not) their membership around this issue. This is how to unite the nursing profession in the days ahead. And then we should go on to overthrow the yoke of the State Boards working on administration's side.

We have to realize that nurses' enemies are semi-criminals in nature. They will trample us just like they have trampled patient's health care, if we just continue to allow them to do so. We can expect no mercy if we are passive.

James Huffman · Oct 17, 2002

In North Carolina, the Board of Nursing is elected by all nurses in the state. Depending on one's specialty area, nurses can also run for the board. NC nurses have the right and ability to change the board, and -- over the long haul -- the course of nursing in our state.

Jim Huffman, RN

http://www.NetworkforNurses.com

Youda · Oct 18, 2002

Wow, gojack! I'm sorry you've had this experience with your BON. In my state, the BON is very supportive and pro-bedside RNs. I never hesitate to call and ask for advice or help about a practice issue. I suddenly appreciate them all the more. Thank you to the Missouri BON!