What do you think is a major problem in nursing?

Nurses Safety

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If you had to pick one thing that you thought was a major problem in nursing what would it be and what would you do about it?

Just curious! :)

There are do many problems in nusing today.

So heard I go.. For one Nursing schools. I think that is should go back to the

way it was 20 years ago. More time in hospital and less in the class room.

Students comimg out of school have no clue!!! It si very scary.. I work in a teaching hospital and have trainner many new RN's. examples are

NewRn"s do not think they have to wash pt or turn they help feed, or anything a cna does. I guess what i am trying to say is they need to know the basics of nursing.Whaen a new nr tells me that she has never put in a foley and was not tought that in school. Iwas shocked.

and not knowing medication and reactions ,labs, teaching.

Also I think CNA's need to be more accountably if they dod not tell a Rn a pt temp was 101. that if any call light is ringing to get it.They are not at risk of being sued. I went on line to see if any CNA was ever sued and the only thing i could fine was if there was abuse or if the CNA was drinking on the job.. And most of these cases they CNA could come back to work in a few days or went to another hospital to work..

ok i will stop there

If you had to pick one thing that you thought was a major problem in nursing what would it be and what would you do about it?

Just curious! :)

Speaking as a UK nurse, I think our biggest problem is hospital acquired infections, MRSA being the main culprit. What would I do about it? Revert back to the way things were 20+ years ago, no 'contracting out' to private cleaning companies, have nurses take responsibility for the cleanliness of their wards and equipment. Bring back Matron!

When people decide to sue they go after the money. It's usually the hospitals, nursing homes or rich doctors that get it first. .

Not anymore. Not with nurses carying million x2 malpractice policies. Nurses are getting sued in record numbers today, and my policy premium had quadrupled because of it in my last state of residence (Texas).

This according to my RNJD is a trend to watch, as more nurses carry insurance, the lawsuits will follow. Its happening in Texas.

Read your NPA, go to a few nurse legal seminars, talk to a RNJD.....it is scary how much liability the RN carries. Going along with the hospital's short staffing/ bottom line profit schemes can result in YOU in court; bucking them can end up with you fired and blackballed. No wonder so many nurses don't practice nursing any longer. :stone

Not anymore. Not with nurses carying million x2 malpractice policies. Nurses are getting sued in record numbers today, and my policy premium had quadrupled because of it in my last state of residence (Texas).

This according to my RNJD is a trend to watch, as more nurses carry insurance, the lawsuits will follow. Its happening in Texas.

Read your NPA, go to a few nurse legal seminars, talk to a RNJD.....it is scary how much liability the RN carries. Going along with the hospital's short staffing/ bottom line profit schemes can result in YOU in court; bucking them can end up with you fired and blackballed. No wonder so many nurses don't practice nursing any longer. :stone

I've been debating for quite some time now whether to even carry for that exact reason.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Me too - so many conflicting opinions about which is prudent. It is also expensive here in Texas - hate to think about what that means!

try nso insurants

QUOTE=CrunchRN]Me too - so many conflicting opinions about which is prudent. It is also expensive here in Texas - hate to think about what that means!

try nso insurants

QUOTE=CrunchRN]Me too - so many conflicting opinions about which is prudent. It is also expensive here in Texas - hate to think about what that means!

No way, they are the ones who more than tripled my premium when I moved to TX. Try CM & F Group.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Thanks - I will try them. My insurance tripled when I moved to Texas from Arizona so I have not renewed. Luckily I am in a fairly low risk position now, but we may start doing some clinical research that is more invasive, and I want to be prepared. Thanks again for the suggestions.

Any nurse attorneys with comments? It would be appreciated by many of us.

Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

1. Why do they make it so hard to advance from one level of nursing to another? I am an LPN for 21 years. I have worked nearly the entire time and have lots of experience. If I want to go back and get my RN, I have to start all over, because my "credits are too old". Hello!!!! I don't think that the English language, math or human anatomy has changed much in that time frame! Testing out on individual courses is over $200 each. Good grief.

2. Staff according to acuity, not number of patients. Somedays I get 7 patients who are all walky-talkys and no big deal. Other days I get 6 patients who are post op, chest tubes, traches, involved dressing changes, newly diagnosed as terminal, etc. These pts all need a lot of physical and mental support, as well as the families. These 6 take a LOT more time and care than the previous 7 but no changes are made.

3. Healthcare facilities need to stop treating nurses as the "hired hands" and quit worshipping at the feet of the physicians. They say the docs are "our customers too." That makes me so sick I could scream. We have docs who are the most foul creatures and I wonder WHY anyone would go to them, docs who act like 3 yr olds, and we are supposed to "accomodate" them. If we all didn't show up to work one morning, the docs would NOT be doing the care for the pts that WE do, I can guarantee you that!

4. Run healthcare facilities AS health care facilities and not as a big corporation worshipping the almighty dollar. If they would pay their nurses, and buy adequate supplies, and quit trying to make us do "perfect customer service" on a shoestring, while trying to cut payroll to the bone, EVERYONE would be happier.

1. Why do they make it so hard to advance from one level of nursing to another? I am an LPN for 21 years. I have worked nearly the entire time and have lots of experience. If I want to go back and get my RN, I have to start all over, because my "credits are too old". Hello!!!! I don't think that the English language, math or human anatomy has changed much in that time frame! Testing out on individual courses is over $200 each. Good grief.

2. Staff according to acuity, not number of patients. Somedays I get 7 patients who are all walky-talkys and no big deal. Other days I get 6 patients who are post op, chest tubes, traches, involved dressing changes, newly diagnosed as terminal, etc. These pts all need a lot of physical and mental support, as well as the families. These 6 take a LOT more time and care than the previous 7 but no changes are made.

3. Healthcare facilities need to stop treating nurses as the "hired hands" and quit worshipping at the feet of the physicians. They say the docs are "our customers too." That makes me so sick I could scream. We have docs who are the most foul creatures and I wonder WHY anyone would go to them, docs who act like 3 yr olds, and we are supposed to "accomodate" them. If we all didn't show up to work one morning, the docs would NOT be doing the care for the pts that WE do, I can guarantee you that!

4. Run healthcare facilities AS health care facilities and not as a big corporation worshipping the almighty dollar. If they would pay their nurses, and buy adequate supplies, and quit trying to make us do "perfect customer service" on a shoestring, while trying to cut payroll to the bone, EVERYONE would be happier.

I have to agree with the poster about being sick of making the doctors the customers!! Give me a break. We are all there for the benefit of the PATIENT and to provide quality patient care. If it were not for the actual facilities and nurses, docs would not have a place to be a customer!

Our specific docs are pretty good. Something that has helped on our floor is that we nurses do NOT act as a middle-man for any physician. We let them take responsibility for themselves with each other. None of this making calls for the doc to another doc, etc. However,as a facility we still treat the docs as customers:at least the administration does. If hospitals quit bowing to MD "tantrums" docs would not act like such jerks.

1. Why do they make it so hard to advance from one level of nursing to another? I am an LPN for 21 years. I have worked nearly the entire time and have lots of experience. If I want to go back and get my RN, I have to start all over, because my "credits are too old". Hello!!!! I don't think that the English language, math or human anatomy has changed much in that time frame! Testing out on individual courses is over $200 each. Good grief.

2. Staff according to acuity, not number of patients. Somedays I get 7 patients who are all walky-talkys and no big deal. Other days I get 6 patients who are post op, chest tubes, traches, involved dressing changes, newly diagnosed as terminal, etc. These pts all need a lot of physical and mental support, as well as the families. These 6 take a LOT more time and care than the previous 7 but no changes are made.

3. Healthcare facilities need to stop treating nurses as the "hired hands" and quit worshipping at the feet of the physicians. They say the docs are "our customers too." That makes me so sick I could scream. We have docs who are the most foul creatures and I wonder WHY anyone would go to them, docs who act like 3 yr olds, and we are supposed to "accomodate" them. If we all didn't show up to work one morning, the docs would NOT be doing the care for the pts that WE do, I can guarantee you that!

4. Run healthcare facilities AS health care facilities and not as a big corporation worshipping the almighty dollar. If they would pay their nurses, and buy adequate supplies, and quit trying to make us do "perfect customer service" on a shoestring, while trying to cut payroll to the bone, EVERYONE would be happier.

Well said and my heart goes out to you as a former med/surg LPN who had those same types of patients you are referring to with the same temper tantrum throwing doctors. It's funny that they never get put into a room and have meetings about "customer service" and how they can better treat their patients and nurses.

I too had run into one brick wall right after another in attempting to get my RN with all of the schools little "requirements" like college algebra, credits too old, 2-3 year waiting lists, etc.

Have you looked into Excelsior? It's not for everyone but I remember that they accepted credit for any of your general ed's no matter how old they were.

I know that there are EC grads from your state on this forum. Just a suggestion because it helped get me out of med/surg LPN work, never again.

If you had to pick one thing that you thought was a major problem in nursing what would it be and what would you do about it?

Just curious! :)

At our facility there is one major recurring issue - who has the power and who doesn't. It is pervasive from the top down. Why? It is called, "inbreeding."

They promote from within, administration and managers support one another - staff be damned - they are supposed to do what they are told.

What would I do about it? My own opinion is that very little can be done, without new blood. Retention is a problem, but working short doesn't seem to bother the manager or administration.

Given a project to do, does not mean that the person would have the support needed to accomplish the goal. Most of the tie nurses are give directives, but no "power" to do it - and then get nailed because it wasn't up to parr.

Yes we eat our young and don't seem to care about the old timers either.

Maybe if the public knew more about what really happens in healthcare - changes could follow.

There is no doubt about it - nursing is not nursing any more - at least not where I live. :angryfire

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