What would you change about Nursing to make it better?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

After reading many posts here on AllNurses, I read about nurses eating their young, no respect, not enough teamwork, lazyness, not enough clinical time, Nursing shortage (yeah right),etc....So I'm asking what would you change about Nursing to make it better? You can vent, post nothing or write something maybe your idea can help another RN come up with a solution to a problem.

Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

I was tempted to quote Shakespeare: "First, kill all the lawyers." But that would be wrong. Give them all colostomies. Ditto for the bean-counters.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A twist on things....

Make ALL "executive"s in the hospital spend 6 months as a CNA.

Make ALL nurses spend a certain number of hours in executive meetings making those hard decisions.

Both would have a new perspective on what the other person really does and it isn't as easy as patient/nurse ratios or higher pay. Remember...there are more nurses than anyone else in a hospital. Increase their numbers and increase their pay.....guess where the money comes from? Increased medical and insurance costs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.
Make nursing activites billable. Bill for the IV's, foley's, NG's, etc. We shouldn't be lumped in with the room rate, housekeeping, food services etc. It would change the way hospital administators veiw us. Instead of a drain of money we would be money generaters.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

Get rid of Press-Ganey

Up Vote Up Vote ×

1. Stop w/ the time clocks and give every new nurse a business card. Treat nurses like professionals and EXPECT them to act like professionals.

2. A BSN as entry level. No more being managed by crazy nut mangers w/o a degree level higher than mine.

3. Less management, MORE workers!! Higher standards for managers -- they also should have DEGREES in management -- or experience in some capacity managing people. Many are just good old girl nurses who hung out long enough to get promoted into these positions. Many do not know a whit about managing anyone and are among the most unprofessional people I've ever met.

4. Start standing up for NURSES!! Value them. Do not allow ancillary and support staff to bully or disrespect them. Stand behind them when being abused by patients and docs.

4.5. Eliminate bullying and horizontal violence among nurses. Encourage a respectful atmosphere among nurses and management.

5. Make breaks mandatory by LAW and allow nurses to take an uniterrpted lunch break, everyday. Management who do not enable this are dismissed for incompetence.

6. Allow administators who are making rules about nursing to spend time WORKING on the floors!

7. I also feel we honestly could do without all the techs. Just hire a few more nurses and we'll just get the job done ourselves. I'm so tired of beligerent techs who won't do their jobs. If they don't want to work, we should replace them w/ more nurses. As far as I'm concerned, I'd trade two techs and their hourly rates for one nurse. It really makes my day easier when a nurse is teching for me and we are sharing the load. I don't have to fight to get help.

8.. Of course, higher pay -- but I'd accept the above changes for the same pay level.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
a twist on things....

make all "executive"s in the hospital spend 6 months as a cna.

make all nurses spend a certain number of hours in executive meetings making those hard decisions.

both would have a new perspective on what the other person really does and it isn't as easy as patient/nurse ratios or higher pay. remember...there are more nurses than anyone else in a hospital. increase their numbers and increase their pay.....guess where the money comes from? increased medical and insurance costs.

how about doing away with the executive dining room and the fancier meals they serve there, cutting the ceo's bonus, holding off on raises for upper management since bedside staff aren't getting raises and upgrade patient care areas before remodeling executive offices?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

"Make ALL "executive"s in the hospital spend 6 months as a CNA.(LVN,RN)

Make ALL nurses spend a certain number of hours in executive meetings making those hard decisions." I agree with you on this one FLmomof5 :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

Re: What would you change about Nursing to make it better?

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.

YES!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
There are a few things I would like to see change.

2) Mandate a bachelors degree as the minimum requirement for all entry nurses.

Sounds cool, but not until I've finished my Associate's and have gotten my first job, okay??

I'm counting on an entry-level job that will pay for my BSN.

So let's not be too hasty here, lol!

BUT, I really do wish CNA's had more education. I don't think all of them appreciate how serious their job is and the major impact of what happens if they fail to take their jobs seriously and follow through with their tasks. I think this is because there tends to be a mentality that believes the job is mindless... that it's all physical. It's not and requires some critical thinking and good sense. They are taught the task without being taught the WHY of the task and I personally feel this is a big mistake. A good aide is like GOLD to a nurse and I'd like to see more.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

ADN vs BSN issue needs to be put aside. We all took the same NCLEX and passed. The degree doesn't make the nurse, the person does. One of our best working nurses is from the olden days and is a certicate nurse.

As far as initials on badges, I think they should not be there. RN is RN and we all need to realize we are there for the same thing. (keep in mind, my initials would be: RN, BSN, MBS/HCN,CCRN - so I'm not knocking anyone.

Support nurse teamwork.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg.

1) Stop leaving infiltrated/blown IVs for the next shift to find. If you don't have the time to redo the thing at least do the next shift the courtesy of telling them about it. (pet peeve)

2) It's ridiculous to chart everything in three diferent places, especially now that computer charting is becoming the norm.

3) Less petty ******** and moaning about petty issues.

4) Euthanize Press Gainey

5) Try being more respetful of each others qualifications and do less "my degree is bigger than your degree". I know some LVNs whose clinical skills run circles around a whole lot of RNs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
1)

4) euthanize press gainey

now that's a fine idea!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment