What would you change about Nursing to make it better?

sandys · Aug 25, 2009

Most of all, do not go into nursing if you do not fully understand what it is and if it is not your passion. Do not choose nursing if you just want to make decent money, if you do not LOVE caring for people and educating people, don't choose nursing. There are too many people in this profession that really hate it. Unlike other jobs, if you hate nursing, it really effects people. They count on you to be there, when they are at their worst, and to always do the right thing for them. This job comes with more responsibility than just showing up for work everyday, and when things in your life sucks, that's hard. If you don't love it, you won't do it well, not on your best day, and especially not on your worst.

meluhn · Aug 25, 2009

Candygyrl, I agree with you 100%. Giving false hope to a pt and their family, while it may pacify them briefly, will only result in the family being disappointed and the pt dying alone because the family didn't think they needed to be there...so sad. I would think hospice nurses would be(and should be) tactful enough to let the family and pt know when they think the end is near. This is a skill they should have.

meluhn · Aug 25, 2009

I know I will get flamed for this but I think we should get rid of LPNs. I dont think they are the scourge of nursing and there are some good ones, but I do think it makes sense to require more than 1 year of a vocational diploma to be lumped in with their more educated and better prepared counterparts. I have been through an LPN program, an ADN program and an RN to BSN program so I can speak form experience. The LPN program was way too easy and their are alot of scary LPNs out their. The ADN program prepares a nurse well for bedside nursing but an associate degree does not get the same kind of respect as a bachelors. Even though I learned everything I needed to know in my assoc. degree program I still think there is some value in learning all the fluffy stuff I learned in the BSN program. I dont think anything you can learn is useless or stupid. As far as the LPN issue, we need to demand more dedication and commitment from people who want to be nurses, not just a 1 yr half-a$$ program. Nothing against LPNs, but you just dont realize how much you dont know until you learn more.

Other things that I would change about nursing:

1) Have more CNAs on the floor so we can do our jobs--we get paid to think not take people to the br.

2)Mandatory nurse to pt ratios--Having more than 6 or 7 pts on a med/surg day shift is not safe.

3)Stream line the charting so we can get out on time.

4)Treat us like the professionals we are instead of work horses.

5)Cut out some of the uneccesary meds we give out and make more of them given on evenings or nights.

6) Stop with the stupid protocols for fall risks and restraints etc, it only means more charting, we dont do anything different because of them.

JoblessRN · Aug 26, 2009

So I'm asking what would you change about Nursing to make it better?

Make it easier for new grads to get jobs. :yeah:

RNman09 · Sep 4, 2009

Thanks everyone for posting your thoughts keep them coming

RNman09 · Oct 31, 2009

I would mandate that all ADN"s get their BSN within 15 years of geting their first RN licence. That would include me and I am working on that upgrade.:thankya: :twocents:

roser13, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

I would mandate that all ADN"s get their BSN within 15 years of geting their first RN licence. That would include me and I am working on that upgrade.:thankya:

Please, what is the rationale for requiring that ADN's 'get' their BSN licence [sic]?

Katie5 · Oct 31, 2009

There are a few things I would like to see change.
1) Get rid of the complaining chronically depressed I hate this job types.
2) Mandate a bachelors degree as the minimum requirement for all entry nurses.
3) Cut out all the additional educational titles seen on name badges. Ex: Gaylord Focker RN BSN LMAO ACLS BLS CCRN ACRN CDDN CWOCN CRRPTC. Really, is all this crap necessary? I have always found it annoying. How about Gaylord Focker RN.
4) Get rid of all the waste of time classes (cultural diversity, theory etc) and fill that space with some science that will ACTUALLY BENEFIT YOU in the real world of nursing. Unfortunately, the BSN programs tend to fill their students with more of this useless crap than the ADN programs.

To answer your questions

- If the'e worked hard for thei degrees, by jove, let them.

-You dont believe cultural diversity is necccessary in this changn world

cop2bnurse41 · Oct 31, 2009

Just a couple of Ideas!

1) Act more like cops! Think blue wall! I always see nurses looking to throw other nurses and staff under a bus! I am not saying big mistakes should be cover up. However we should look out for each other and if we see something coming down the line that dose not look right help your brother's and sisters's out befor they get jammed up!

2) Stop eating our young! I always here the Vets say the new grads dont know anything! this happens in police work as well the difference is you are told you dont know anything then a Vet takes you under his wing and makes sure you dont get killed or kill someone for no reason. THINK MENTOR

3) Act like pro's get treated like pro's

4) Admin should have to spend time on the floors not locked in there office. This would rectify many many problems!

5) Better benefits and retirement.

6) Peer review to weed out the lazy or incompetinent(bad speller!)

7) Reward good work at all levels starting with the Aids( over worked and under apreciated!) Refer to #6

8) Finally STICK TOGETHER. To make it better for all Nurse's

RNman09 · Dec 20, 2009

Stop eating the young seems to be a big issue among other ones. Kudos to everyone wanting to change this behavior:twocents: :up: :yeah:

AussieKylie · Dec 20, 2009

What I would change about nursing is the following:

* Patient care is put first

* Providing patient care is holistic

* Nurses treat other nurses fairly and are friendly

* Nurses provide to new nurses support and positive attitude

* Nurses working together are working as a team and include every nurse on shift. So when its discharge time, we all leave together.

* Post op patients that are returning to ward at the close time of nurses to go home, should be given to the afternoon staff on shift OR the patient can return when the new shift starts.

* Patient discharges are about trying to get everything organised to help patient get home rather than pushing patients OUT ( I hate that)

* If AM shift duties are not done, then its really OK if the other shifts try to get it done. Because it is a 24/7 care situation, not everything can be done on the AM shift. So when its handed over that some nursing cares could not be achieved, then the attitude is No worries, we can do that. Without any negative remarks or grimaces.

Thats all I have to say :yeah:

zenman · Dec 20, 2009

1.One entry level

2.Explain to nursing students why you are teaching them theories (so they won't complain about them) and why it is necessary for a profession and why you shouldn’t touch a patient unless you have a theoretical framework from which to operate from.

3.More cultural competency classes. You might find that other cultures are really cool and you might learn something from them.

4.Bill for nursing. At a clinic visit yesterday here in Bangkok, I was billed 500 bhat ($14.70) for physician evaluation and 200 bhat ($5.88) for nursing charge.

5.Increase clinical hours, maybe even a year of paid internship.

6.Teach more critical thinking skills. When you read over on Student Doctor about the stupid calls nurses make to on-call doctors, you want to hide your head.

7.Once a student gets into nursing school make sure you do everything possible to make sure they graduate rather than trying to weed them out.

8.I agree on leaving off all your little titles off your name tag.

9.My mother was in the hospital recently and all the staff had phones. While that might be a good idea it interrupts your interaction with the patient. Even two NPs who saw my mother stopped what they were doing to answer their ******* phones. And are you aware what info about others you are spreading when you talk on the phone like no one else is listening?

10.Better nurse patient ratios and more techs.

11.You might not like uniforms for professionals, but airline pilots wear them. However, I can’t stop looking at the registered nurses here in their white uniforms…and sometimes little green business-like jackets…and low heels sometimes. I can instantly tell them apart from the aides, housekeeping and every one else. I’m both bemused and delighted. Back before things got confusing, I also wore white…but never a white cap!

12.Cut out paperwork.

13.Standardize NP training/clinical hours.

14. A license good in all states.

That’s enough for now.