VA problems are in most hospitals

Published

The National Patient Safety Foundation made this shocking admissions last year: "psychological safety of the workforce... conspicuously absent or considered optional in many care-delivery organizations..Under these conditions, it is difficult for caregivers to to meet the challenge of making health care safe for patients they serve...makes it clear that the manager, or person in the gradient of hierarchy above the worker, possesses interests that are more important than the planned efforts of the health care worker."

Arizona Republic description:

" workers who asked not to be named because they fear retribution...current and former staffers allege that employees who point out flaws-or try to improve the system from within-are bullied by bosses who won't acknowledge the system is broken because to do so would damage their careers. Retaliation against whistle-blowers, discrimination and mismanagement have caused an exodus of nurses and doctors, insiders said, so that remaining employees are chronically overworked and stressed out."

Does any of this sound familiar?

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Could you provide links for your sources?

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Well, to quote a friend of mine, "When you've seen one VA hospital....you've seen one VA hospital".

In other words, they vary as much as every other hospital in the nation.

So no, I don't think it's a Veteran's Affairs problem, but a problem with this hospital in Phoenix. Not the same thing as a "VA" problem; would hate to see something get completely blown out of proportion like this....and potentially harm other VAMCs that are VERY good.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Well, to quote a friend of mine, "When you've seen one VA hospital....you've seen one VA hospital".

In other words, they vary as much as every other hospital in the nation.

So no, I don't think it's a Veteran's Affairs problem, but a problem with this hospital in Phoenix. Not the same thing as a "VA" problem; would hate to see something get completely blown out of proportion like this....and potentially harm other VAMCs that are VERY good.

The VA in Phoenix sucks! I was a patient there once and got out as fast as I could. I was treated badly, my doctors (different ones each day) could hardly speak English and ignored obvious problems. The facility is old, run down and falling apart. Moral of the nursing staff was low, low, low.

I have also been a patient at the La Jolla VA in San Diego and the VA in Minneapolis and both were top notch!

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Specializes in Dialysis.

The difference between the VA system and the private world is nobody at the VA is ever fired. NEVER EVER. This lack of accountabilty is what is wrong with the VA system.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

News Releases - Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

While all 151 VA medical facilities are accredited by The Joint Commission, the list recognizes facilities that are the top performers based on The Joint Commission’s annual review of evidence-based care that is closely linked to positive patient outcomes. This program recognizes Joint Commission-accredited hospitals for a significant achievement in accountability and performance measures.

The Joint Commission recognized 19 VA medical facilities as top performers in 2011/2012 and 20 VA medical facilities in 2010. Nine VA facilities have been rated as top performers for two consecutive years – a noteworthy distinction.

“VA health care has been a leader in performance measurement, electronic health records, research and clinical quality for more than a decade,” said VA Undersecretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel. “I am proud of the staff that works hard every day to care for America’s Veterans.”

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
The difference between the VA system and the private world is nobody at the VA is ever fired. NEVER EVER. This lack of accountabilty is what is wrong with the VA system.

That is such bull. Absolutly NOT true at all. I used to work at the Minneapolis VA and observed several nurses and a physician get fired.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
That is such bull. Absolutly NOT true at all. I used to work at the Minneapolis VA and observed several nurses and a physician get fired.

3 years at Memphis VA. I was also a shop steward in the union so I would have been aware of disciplinary actions throughout the hospital. No one was ever fired. The house staff refered to the wards as "the killing fields". The level of care was appalling. Because the hospital didn't want to open the cath lab on the weekend patients with an active MI were "stabilized" until monday rolled around. I witnessed three pts die that would have been taken to the cath lab immediately if they had been in a private hospital.

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The difference between the VA system and the private world is nobody at the VA is ever fired. NEVER EVER. This lack of accountabilty is what is wrong with the VA system.

Wrong, wrong....and did I mention wrong? It's not the "VA system", it's individual facilities and the performance of their Backbone.

Without providing details, I can ASSURE you I am QUITE familiar with staff in various positions, various areas of a facility terminated for a variety of reasons--none of which was they were fabulous.

Federal employees can and DO get fired. If you're lucky, (ok, if we're ALL lucky), it's during the probationary period, before much damage is done.

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3 years at Memphis VA. I was also a shop steward in the union so I would have been aware of disciplinary actions throughout the hospital. No one was ever fired. The house staff refered to the wards as "the killing fields". The level of care was appalling. Because the hospital didn't want to open the cath lab on the weekend patients with an active MI were "stabilized" until monday rolled around. I witnessed three pts die that would have been taken to the cath lab immediately if they had been in a private hospital.

Then this goes back to my original post in this thread: one VA is as different from another VA is one private sector hospital is different from another. Quality varies, which is unfortunate considering it's a national entity, but it's the truth. Now I guess I can add Memphis to my short list of VAMCs of concern :(

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
3 years at Memphis VA. I was also a shop steward in the union so I would have been aware of disciplinary actions throughout the hospital. No one was ever fired. The house staff refered to the wards as "the killing fields". The level of care was appalling. Because the hospital didn't want to open the cath lab on the weekend patients with an active MI were "stabilized" until monday rolled around. I witnessed three pts die that would have been taken to the cath lab immediately if they had been in a private hospital.

So you worked at a crappy hospital that happend to be owned by the VA. There are lots of crappy hospitals out there. The fact that different people have different experiences at various VA hospitals demonstrates that the problems at one VA hospital, are, well, the problems at that particular VA hospital.

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