What changes do you think will happen ?

Tait, MSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

I'm not doing a physician's job until I get paid a physician's salary.

rhondaa83 · Dec 12, 2008

I will not beleive it untill I see it. Just because One Doctor tells you these things, are you going to beleive it?

Katnip, RN · Dec 12, 2008

While our economy is bad and likely to get worse, these downturns usually don't last long enough for most of those changes to take place. I would love to see some of those changes take place, such as focusing on making hospitals hospitals instead of hotels and reducing lawsuits.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

changes are always going to be made. i heard the older nurses who were hospital trained grumbling when we college-trained nurses started showing up. they were convinced we were going to steal their jobs. my local hospital has a beautiful display along an entire hallway dedicated to their previous school of nursing with pictures and the vintage uniforms and capes these old nurses wore. in the 80s i was around when 200 nurses were laid off at one hospital where i worked. i remember when drgs came about and people were no longer admitted to the hospital for a week of tests or rest. things change. people recently had huge debates about medication aides. doctors not that long ago didn't want to see advanced practice nurses so they started physician assistant programs.

the fact is that the economy is once again in trouble and baby boomers are going to hit the health care system in droves. if nurses thought it was tough to be a nurse last year, imagine what the stress in going to be like next year! such is life. we all have our rows to hoe.

time4meRN · Dec 12, 2008

In response to rohndaa83.......The thread it just food for thought . If you are told, things won't change by someone, do you belive it or do you try to think for yourself. If you would have told me 30 years ago that nurses would be doing the things we are today.... I would have said there's no way. But , we are doing things that in the 70's or 80's nurses would have been fired for doing. There were nurses then that said, if they want me to do that then they better pay me what a Dr. makes. We are not making what Dr's make but we are responsible for things that only Dr's did back then. Things progress, I never think it hurts to discuss such things. I try to keep an open mind. PS to Katnip ....... I absolutely love you kitten. That really gave me a smile for today. Thanks !

ArwenEvenstar · Dec 12, 2008

Quote: "He thinks that Pres Gahney and the likes will need to go away, the fat cats at the top will be exposed and Americans will have to get used to less law suites and a hospital that operates more the way they used to in the 50's. You know, no big screen TV's with sports channels in the ER lobby, no grand piano in the main lobby, no starbucks in the cafeteria..."

:yeahthat:

I hope that happens!!!! That would be great in my opinion! I burned out of hospital nursing. I ran from the bedside screaming! One reason was the increasingly demanding patients and families...and their behavior was encouraged by the hospital who ran the hospital more like a HOTEL. Yea, go back to the 1950's IN REGARDS to the hospital environment. (BUT not in regards to what nurses did back then!!!!) Anyway....

time4meRN · Dec 12, 2008

Yeh, there's no way in heck I'll give my chair up for a Dr. Oh, wait..... a chair. Come to think of it I wouldn't have to give up my chair. I don't sit. I'm lucky if I can sit on the toilet. Let a lone a real chair. I was a nurse aid in the 70's. I think pt's got better care then ,compaired to now. But, I also remember the nurses and Dr's could tell the pt, " I don't think your having pain, I think your addicted". or the ever popular, " If you talk to the nursing staff like that agin , you'll have to find another hospital". These are things I actulally heard people say back then. I remember the day that we got a TV in the rooms. Two pt's had to share it. Oh my , our pt's would have a fit ! We have 12 flat screen TV's in our ER lobby, game machines for kids, a toy room and video games. You should see us trying to talk to someone quitley, over Jerry Springer, cartoons and QVC. Callgon take me away. I don't look good in a cap and white uniform, white makes my butt look big.:roll

Chaya, ASN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

I'm not doing a physician's job until I get paid a physician's salary.

Just watches an episode of Trapper John which I think ran in the 80's?...a staff member came up to the two docs and told one he was needed to change a dressing and the other that he was needed to put in a catheter...

Oh wait- I think I DO get paid a physician's salary-in the 1980's, that is!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Dec 12, 2008

One of our ER physicians was discussing that he thinks the wave of changes that will be coming as the economy goes into a downward spiral. He thinks that MA's will eventually do a nurses job, as far as "bed side" care. And RN's will be mandated or " encouraged" to go back to school to become NP's. He thinks that there will be less positions for family practice docs, nurses will doing more physician designated care through out the feild of medicine. He thinks that Pres Gahney and the likes will need to go away, the fat cats at the top will be exposed and Americans will have to get used to less law suites and a hospital that oporates more the way they used to in the 50's. You know, no big screen TV's with sports chanels in the ER lobby, no grand piano in the main lobby, no starbucks in the cafateria , well you know the story. All of this to decrease the cost of care. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's kind of exciting, :cool:scary and :eek:weird all at the same time. I think nurses could be :yeah:wounderful at this or :confused:really bad. Thinking about the whole thing gives me a headache ! :banghead:I need a cup of coffee and tylenol. Hope all of you have a wounderful day !

The only reason why I don't think they would use Medical Assistants in the place of bedside nurses is because of the new rules of medicaid, and the possibility of law suits. I remember there is a high tech hospital on my side of the planet that used techs to do something either in the transplant unit or ICU (don't remember), which caused a great deal of infections. Hospital was sued, and settled for an undisclosed amount. In addition, they already have cheap, licensed nurses to do the same thing...LPNs, whose training is more advanced than an MA. Back in the day, there would be say one or two RNs, and more LPNs and CNAs to actually work the unit. CNAs and LPNs knew and had more hands on experience then than now, unless you are fortunate to be able to work somewhere that will properly mentor you. In fact, mentorship back then was much better than now.

I think that they would probably use more Physician Assistants than doctors. Not sure about advancing nurses to become NPs, only because I would like to know where the money would come from to educate them if financial aide and student loans will become a thing of the past. It doesn't mean, however, that they would not place even more headaches on the average floor RN, mind you...they may be treated as undercover doctors, so to speak:angryfire...with no additional perks or pay.

I do remember the days where the staff did not have to subject themselves to the same sort of abuse that we do, now. The patients were treated better, more organization, but it was not run like a hotel for the rich and famous. If it went back to that, I believe I would be happier.

We had a budget meeting at the hospital just today, but we won't know the results until later next week (or whenever they decide to drop the bomb), so, at this moment, all of our imaginations are running wild.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2008

Seriously, I think that the economics will create a lot of opportunities for some very smart nurses out there, where ever you are, to pave the way for new ways to get things done more efficiently. So, if any of you future problem solvers see ways that will save money, cut hospital time or patient healing time down significantly and safely--pursue it. You may be the next professor emeritus whose name appears on the walls of a nursing school or the wing of some hospital somewhere. It is pretty much all about saving every dollar these days. And, there us nothing wrong with that. I see the costs of my x-rays and lab tests as my EOBs from the insurance company come through. Health care is expensive. And no one wants to wait around for hours to get in to see a doctor or have an x-ray done. When you are in the business you know what kind of care you need to have done, you want it, you want the best, you'll demand it. It will cost. You'll look for every cost break you can find. You won't think about costs until you are on that end of it having to pay.

time4meRN · Dec 13, 2008

Seriously, I think that the economics will create a lot of opportunities for some very smart nurses out there, where ever you are, to pave the way for new ways to get things done more efficiently. So, if any of you future problem solvers see ways that will save money, cut hospital time or patient healing time down significantly and safely--pursue it. You may be the next professor emeritus whose name appears on the walls of a nursing school or the wing of some hospital somewhere. It is pretty much all about saving every dollar these days. And, there us nothing wrong with that. I see the costs of my x-rays and lab tests as my EOBs from the insurance company come through. Health care is expensive. And no one wants to wait around for hours to get in to see a doctor or have an x-ray done. When you are in the business you know what kind of care you need to have done, you want it, you want the best, you'll demand it. It will cost. You'll look for every cost break you can find. You won't think about costs until you are on that end of it having to pay.

All I can say is Yep !