Very Disturbing

Has anyone else been following the thread under Nurse Activism "Cleveland Clinic destroys wages." The hospital has been using big-business tactics to keep nurses from working agency. Bringing in many foreign nurses also, to keep the domestic nurses in line. Also, some AHA bigwigs in Ohio have even proposed the end to nursing licensure as we know it--want something they call "institutional licensure." (In other words, they want the freedom to train UAP's in situ in response to the nursing crisis, of course, and THEY determine what these "institutionalized licensees" can do, giving medications included). Another thread describes how the illustrious Governor Ventura in Minnesota and other politicos there have frozen agency nurses wages to "force" nurses back into institutions (in this case, nursing homes, I believe). Another poster has alerted us to the fact that in her hospital one answer to the "nursing shortage" is to allow EMT's and paramedics to work in the ICU! I find a very disturbing trend here. The economy turned sour along with the nursing shortage crisis may backfire on all of us. Much pressure is being put on lesiglators by big business AHA-types behind closed doors, to loosen licensure restrictions, to loosen hiring practice, to loosen emmigration restrictions for foreign nurses. These big-wigs are blaming all their problems on nurses, when they created the problem in the first place! The hospitals are truly doing their best to destroy nursing as a profession. The bottom line here is--our wages, our freedom to work where we please, and also, control over our profession and practice environment.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I've been afraid of just this very thing. Remember about 15 years ago when the AMA wanted to bring in somethng like medical assistants? We fought them off. We won, they lost.

(We thought.)

Then about 5-7 years ago the UAPs and the PCPs started trickling in. That's about the same time that "managed care" caused so many nursing layoffs.

I'm afraid we're going to get bit in the butt if we don't watch out. I wouldn't doubt that TPTB might be reading boards like this right now.

P

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https://allnurses.com/forums/newreply.php?s=&action=newreply&threadid=12910

Linda Garcia has posted this in another thread. I'm bumping it up to include it here:

This is what's happening, The Ambulatory Care Department that I work in is looking at replacing the RN staff with health tech. That is when the RN leaves that position for one reason or another.

What are we to do? They say that the Nursing Profession is a dying bred and this just takes us one step further.

Need fighting power!!!

Please state your concerns that may help us (Nursing Professions) in our fight to keep our nursing staff, our respect and honor that so many nurses have fought long and hard for over the centuries.

Thanks

[oramar]

Most of us were sure hospitals would try to replace licensed personel with unlicensed personel. It is a trend that is not especially new. I fear it because I am sure health care will suffer.

[wildtime88]

Yes it is very disturbing. Yes I have been following it. Hell I have been warning everyone who would listen that this was coming and have pointed out things as they have happened. It is not a mass movement, it is one little step at a time. Collectively it amounts to a lot.

If the majority of nurses do not learn soon to stand up for themselves individually and directly confront this, this will happen plus much more.

Now their is legislation getting ready to be signed into existance which can and will replace any nurse who really objects. The government is even going to pay for the replacements.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

PR_N, what does TPTB mean?

It is obvious that we nurses SOMEHOW need to take control of our profession before it is TOO LATE. We have had so many adversaries over the years, first the medical profession who long has had us under their thumb, envisioning us as mere "physician's handmaidens." We have slowly been rising up and overcoming this. Now our adversaries are much more cunning, much more sophisticated, much more powerful, even more heartless---big business types who have taken over healthcare and now are gaining political power as well (forming alliances against us with government politicos who don't have a clue). These sinister CFO's/CNO's only see us nurses as their biggest "problem"--the biggest black hole, the biggest money drain, and are relentless in their quest to take over and destroy our profession, absolutely RUINING health care in our nation in the process. Any ideas, anyone?

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

By the way, my hospital hired 75 Filipino nurses over 2 years ago, and I've yet to see any of them in the intensive care units. I have heard that only 1/3 of these nurses passed state boards the first time. The hospital spent enormous BIG BUCKS to get these nurses here, and I believe it has been a FAILED EXPERIENCE. Haven't heard anything more about it; especially no more attempt to bring more Filipinos here. This is not to slam Filipino nurses in anyway, only there are tremendous cultural obstacles for them to overcome once they are here and it is VERY EXPENSIVE for any institution to import them. It is much more cost effective for facilities to take care of their DOMESTIC NURSES, work on nurse satisfaction and RETENTION issues. Patients prefer nurses of the "home-grown" variety, too.

[Peeps Mcarthur]

Healingtouch,

What about the old PR game? If the evil administrations' plan was such an abysmal failure why wouldn't that be news worthy?

If nothing else, at least it would show that one foreing trained nurse is not always equal to one U.S. trained RN to the generaly ignorant public. The fact that most of them are not even allowed to care for critticaly ill patients when the hospitals would put a trained monkey in there if they could get away with it legally, is an example of U.S. Nursings' professional standards.

Actually I heard the monkey refused the assingment.

[tigerlinkRVS]

Originally posted by Healingtouch

By the way, my hospital hired 75 Filipino nurses over 2 years ago, and I've yet to see any of them in the intensive care units. I have heard that only 1/3 of these nurses passed state boards the first time. The hospital spent enormous BIG BUCKS to get these nurses here, and I believe it has been a FAILED EXPERIENCE. Haven't heard anything more about it; especially no more attempt to bring more Filipinos here. This is not to slam Filipino nurses in anyway, only there are tremendous cultural obstacles for them to overcome once they are here and it is VERY EXPENSIVE for any institution to import them. It is much more cost effective for facilities to take care of their DOMESTIC NURSES, work on nurse satisfaction and RETENTION issues. Patients prefer nurses of the "home-grown" variety, too.

[mother/babyRN, RN]

If only there were a method or movement to educate (as only truly SKILLED nurses can) patients as to what they are unfortunately and SCARILY potentially in store. I think the knowledge of what these "people" intend to do needs to somehow be matriculated out to the people ( us and our families) who require skilled and accurate nursing care. If they actually knew what sacrifices "big business" is prepared to subject them (and us) to, perhaps there would be a public outcry AND get the ball back in the nursing park, where it belongs...Just a thought...

[mother/babyRN, RN]

I find it personally both interesting AND insulting that there are actually meetings related to nursing retention, when the powers that be have every bit of knowledge on how to retain good staff. Treat them right...Duh! Providing housing and bonuses from people overseas when the same money could be better and more appropriately spent with the staff you have, seems like a no brainer to me....In the new realm of management, when the trend is to distance your self from the staff and treat patients AND nurses as simply "clients", one is bound to stray from what nursing means. I hate to say this but if nursing were mainly a male oriented field, this wouldn't be so quick to occur and higher and APPROPRIATE salaries would not be such an issue..Treat us right. Then, there wouldn't be such a problem. And, as the trend is to force nurses to "better" themselves by getting degrees (which are great to have, by the way), you eliminate a goodly portion of great nurses who simply desire to care for and advocate for their patients....Degrees are wonderful, but they do not automatically make one a better or more qualified nurse....

No patient I have ever taken care of has EVER asked me my credentials while holding my hand in their last moment or during a crisis.....Nursing retention meetings are a waste of time in a field where the powers that be do not want to spend money appropriately on their staff.....A plumber makes more than most nurses. I personally admire plumbers and anyone else, such as contractors or any profession skilled enough to command what they are worth. So why aren't people stepping up to the plate to defend nurses? Because most of us are women who "should be glad what we make...Sad but true....

[TracyB,RN, RN]

TPTB the powers that be

[TMPaul]

The medical assistants idea from the AMA is not dead in Tennesse. In fact the bill is at the legislative level as I type this!! They never give up, do they??