WHAT DO NURSES DO? --help me respond to this question

Wow, if that's the review, now I have to read the book. No one will agree with everything anyone else says, but it would be nice to have a plan of some sort for improving nursing. Nursing could be the best job in the world if only nurses would take charge of it. Maybe there is a plan we could unite behind in this book, or at least the beginnings of one.

I suggest we "do" nothing and see how long it takes for them to figure out what we are "doing"!!

I suggest we "do" nothing and see how long it takes for them to figure out what we are "doing"!!

That's called a strike. Are you considering organizing one at your hospital? ; ) Seriously though, we all know nursing needs to change to have a future and maybe there are some good ideas in this Suzanne Gordon's book. Have you seen Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio speak? I've been to a couple of her critical care educational seminars. She is an ardent supporter of unionizing and in them she always manages a plug for unions. I'm wondering what she would think of this book.

Anyone keeping up with these stories? They're at www.woai.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=e2837ee3-fcb9-44a8-b63a-b9a14094e6f4 Nurses at a major San Antonio hospital are speaking out about what they claim is a staffing crisis there. The ICU unit is the front line of health care for some of the most critical patients at the hospital. The nurses in ICU deal with life and death on a daily basis. Now, there are reports that as many as 20 ICU nurses at the hospital have allegedly quit over work conditions described as bad and getting worse. Inside sources describe long hours without breaks, meals, or sufficient staffing. "Supervisors aren't helping us. They're not coming in to relieve us, to give us the extra break, the extra help," one nurse told News 4 WOAI. "It just gets very, very hard. And then we know that the next day of working, the same thing is gonna happen." In recent weeks, according to sources, pressure has increased as several ICU nurses at Christus Santa Rosa have been reprimanded or demoted, while others are feeling frustrated and burned out. "You get very tired; you get very agitated. There's times when you just want to quit your job because you know you're gonna come back here in a couple of more hours to the same workload," said the nurse. In a written statement released to News 4 WOAI, hospital officials say, "The information you received that twenty nurses have resigned from Christus Santa Sosa ICU is incorrect." The statement goes on to say that the hospital "...prohibits any form of workplace harassment." and "...ICU employees have consistently taken their meal breaks." The hospital would not confirm an exact number of ICU nurses quitting or being fired or demoted, but did say that only 6% of meal breaks had been missed. ICU nurses also tell of being caught between staff shortages and families wanting answers. "We are...as a nurse, we are totally responsible for that patient if anything happens to them, it's on us. They want to know 'why did this patient fall', 'why did this patient get out of bed,' why did this patient bleed'," the nurse told News 4 WOAI. The hospital says ICU patients give their employees a 99% satisfaction rating. However, that raises the question where those still there do so out of a deeper commitment. "Patient care; the love for the job; the love of taking care of somebody else and knowing that you're saving their life by taking care of them and sending them home," the nurse said. "And they look back at you, and they're very happy and thankful that you were to help them and save them." Christus Santa Rosa's statement also said the hospital gives its employees the opportunity to address any concerns directly with management. However, nurses News 4 WOAI talked with dispute that and say that's why they decided to go public. News 4 WOAI's David Cruz has been following this story. If you have questions or comments about this story, or you want to send us a story tip, please email News 4 WOAI's David Cruz at [email protected]. Related Stories: More San Antonio Nurses Come Forward About Unsafe Conditions Nurses Protest, Claim Shortages Lead To Injuries, Deaths of Patients Maybe we have to go public about working conditions, but how will it help if people don't understand just how important nurses are to their health and well being?

It is too late now, but for the next elitist medical professional accompanied by or represented by a brown-nosing nurse manager who addresses a nurse with that question.

Use the following Therapeutic Intervention.

Explain you are an EXPERT:

A Professional.

Your specialty is in the field of POOP/CACA/DUNG/Sh&T//feces/rectal excrement/stool/

(select favorite word for specialty material)

It is encountered in every clinical setting in a variety of forms.

Impacted POOP

Hard POOP.

Soft Poop,

Runny poop,

Slimy poop, (rap steps and gestures may be indicated)

Bloody poop,

Stinky poop,

Chunky Poop,

White, black, brown, orange, red, green and blue poop,

EXPLOSIVE POOP,

POOP That comes out of the human species via GRAVITY and more frequently POOP that comes out from the human MOUTH. ( As in this case.)

When you say mouth, ensure you are looking them squarely with ALL assertion training in both eyes.

Don’t stop staring until you see a deer stuck in your headlights.

After desired response, you may comfort the ignorant pooper with a notation like,

WE ALL GOTTA POOP.

I just want to make it a nurturing and comforting experience.

Keep your shoulders HIGH so that they ALL know your specialty is in HIGH HIGH demand.

If possible, offer a preceptor ship in your specialty so they can better understand its scope.

administering medications; includes understanding of indications, side effects, correct dosing and interactions w/other medications that pt is rec'g, as well as in light of recent lab results.

depending on the setting (icu, med-surg, ltc... ), medication admin for 1 pt to ??? pts.

while also changing the patient, or taking them to the bathroom getting them fresh ice water, changing their ice bags or cryo cuffs, fixing their tray table just so.....

Ok,I work in a city hospital as an RN in new york. It is so busy sometimes you don't have time to breathe. I was asked by my nurse manager to write something on what nurses do so that she could give it to the doctors. The doctors told her that they have no idea what a nurse does all day. PFFFT! Anyway I am overwhelmed and have started a list of what nurses do so that I can write something using it. I want to hear from other nurses who could possibly think of things that are slipping my mind at the moment. Its a big job to try and explain all the things we do on any given day, because every day is so different. I feel that the doctors need some good education ( maybe they'd show us an ounce of respect then? or is that wishful thinking?) Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to write a really good response. Thanks in advance!

Heres a few things I jotted down real quickly:

Monitor vitals

assess for pain

teach

listen

Advocate for patients

determine if orders are complete/appropriate

communicate with all levels of hospital employees

(doctors, nurses, dieticians, social workers, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, , even nonlicenced personnel such as housekeeping, families, kitchen and phone/TV)

Assess for changes in patients condition

Assess for actual or potential problems with the patients health status or safety

Perform care for total care patients

Tasks like suctioning, trach care, feedings, blood transfusions, ekgs, drawing blood, start iv's, start Foleys, acquire samples for the lab, check orders and make changes accordingly, interpret cardiac strips, calculate I and o's

Solve problems, use their resources

Assist patients with their needs

Do discharges and admissions

Monitor for post surgical complications

protect patients

save money

prevent suffering

There are probably tons more so please respond!

I have read this book by Gordon, and she really brings out the fact that nurses are needed! We do so much that it is hard to put it on paper! Lets put it this way!

A hospital couldn't stay open without NURSES on duty! WE KEEP THE PT'S sAFE AT ALL TIMES. This is totally insane, all nurses should go on strike and lets see what happens, then maybe the public and everyone would understand what a nurse does!!!!!