Where did our autonomy go?

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't know where we lost the power to do our jobs. Seems like the patients, family, and even the neighbor know more then we do in managements eyes. The medical profession says we've done it to ourselves. I don't know if that's true. I think it is a combination of things but I sure would like to get it back. I know House, E.R., Grey's Anatomy all have interesting situations but; HELLO -they are t.v. shows. We actually had a pt the other night tell a nurse that "doctor's give pca's so nurses don't have to do their jobs". Any response to that? I know there will be some good ones because this is a very bright bunch.

Specializes in med surg, ortho, onc, peds.

the answer to the question is: nurses don't have the depth of autonomy some think we should. we aren't trained to make the same decisions as doctors. we are given the knowledge to recognize problems and trends and alert the ppl who are trained to make the decisions. we are given knowledge to *gasp follow orders based on our assessments. this should not be under-rated! it's a skill and it is something to be proud of.

it may seem like crap that yes, we know empirically (and usually from common sense) what to do/order/test for etc. for literally hundreds of scenarios with our patients, BUT that is not our scope of practice, the same way a CNA knows that if a pt is constipated, he should get some fleets. But, she can't walk into the supply room and get some and administer it...

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Autonomy in nursing well by goodness why is it nurses and i mean rns,rnas,lpns.lvns,cnas,cenas are not autonomous ? Because they are not unionized we have being brainwashed by corporate sector its not in our best interest and it wouldnt work. Believe AMA and all there members wouldnot tolerate such injustices that nursing has indured because we choose not to be proactive We have at this point and time in the history of nursing the upper hand due to nursig shortage but we still sit on our hands and complain and do nothing proactively and when you try oh no thats not good we cant fight becuase we afraid of losing our jobs,but we continue to use lipservice HOORAH to the nurses who strike incalifornia and kentucky HOORAH support them encourage them that their efforts are worthy. When are we alll going to wake up?
Although I am definitely pro-union, I have also observed that many other true professions have been able to thrive throughout the years and exercise their autonomy without utilizing labor unions as their "voice." Engineers, social workers, attorneys, accountants, economists, nuclear physicists, chemists, psychologists, and other professionals have been able to carve their respectable places in society without unionization.

I will reiterate that I am supportive of unions. However, the nursing profession has far too many problems in its current state, all of which cannot be tackled by a labor union.

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I have to through into the mix that the MAJORITY of nursing staff in Canada is unionized. As are social workers and psychologists employed by health authorities. They might belong to "Health Sciences Associations" but they are unions and bargain for their wages and benefits.

Unions will support their members whereas we find the various nursing colleges more interested in collecting their fees and "protecting" the public from assorted nurses.

I'd rather give my money to the union.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Autonomy in nursing well by goodness why is it nurses and i mean rns,rnas,lpns.lvns,cnas,cenas are not autonomous ? Because they are not unionized we have being brainwashed by corporate sector its not in our best interest and it wouldnt work. Believe AMA and all there members wouldnot tolerate such injustices that nursing has indured because we choose not to be proactive We have at this point and time in the history of nursing the upper hand due to nursig shortage but we still sit on our hands and complain and do nothing proactively and when you try oh no thats not good we cant fight becuase we afraid of losing our jobs,but we continue to use lipservice HOORAH to the nurses who strike incalifornia and kentucky HOORAH support them encourage them that their efforts are worthy. When are we alll going to wake up?

While I can say that it would be a good idea for us to support ANA, but it is a divisive institution, basically, based on all of the titles you mentioned. They support RNs only (not an RN bash), so, how can LPNs, LVNs and CNAs benefit from ANA? The LPNs have a organization, but it is much weaker and from what I know the CNAs don't have an organization at all. If they do, someone enlighten me to who they are.

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Nurses have always followed doctor's orders, since the beginning of our profession. If I wanted to be autonomous, i would have chosen another profession. I agree with other posters that we have never been autonomous. Also, no offense, but I don't see how being unionized would make us more autonomous. It may improve our working conditions, but that is another topic...

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While I can say that it would be a good idea for us to support ANA, but it is a divisive institution, basically, based on all of the titles you mentioned. They support RNs only (not an RN bash), so, how can LPNs, LVNs and CNAs benefit from ANA? The LPNs have a organization, but it is much weaker and from what I know the CNAs don't have an organization at all. If they do, someone enlighten me to who they are.
http://www.nahcacares.org/

Cool. Seems to focus on LTC CNAs tho'.

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Specializes in Emergency, Outpatient.

I agree nursing is not autonomous. Nursing is responsibility without authority. Autonomy should come with responsibility but it does not in the profession of nursing. IMHO that is the main problem.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Autonomy is the wave of the future, according to Magnet accreditation, which is really a joke to me. HOW can a nurse be autonomous when we need an order to place a bandage on a wound?? I think that the what nurse actually gain is trust in their decisions, but that only comes about IF the doctor decides to cover the order once she made a decision that can't be taken back. Doesn't always happen, though...

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Nurses already have autonomy. Its called "nurse practitioner"

Do you really think RNs should have that same kind of autonomy?

Also, multiple people on this thread are misinformed and think that doctors have unions. They do not. The AMA is not a union, just as the ANA is not a union either. IN fact, it is ILLEGAL for doctors to unionize.

Nurses, on the other hand, can join unions. The SEIU is composed mostly of nurses, and its the biggest healthcare union in the country.

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Nurses already have autonomy. Its called "nurse practitioner"

Do you really think RNs should have that same kind of autonomy?

Also, multiple people on this thread are misinformed and think that doctors have unions. They do not. The AMA is not a union, just as the ANA is not a union either. IN fact, it is ILLEGAL for doctors to unionize.

Nurses, on the other hand, can join unions. The SEIU is composed mostly of nurses, and its the biggest healthcare union in the country.

NPs practice under the supervision of physicians (in this state, at least)

http://www.uapd.com/wiki/uapd/uapd?wikiPageId=160977

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=0e72da83-f55f-4b3d-9136-a68708344292

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

You see what I mean...??? NO NURSE is REALLY autonomous. It's a fallicy promoted by Magnet. In my area, NPs are precepted by an attending the same as PAs and residents.

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You see what I mean...??? NO NURSE is REALLY autonomous. It's a fallicy promoted by Magnet. In my area, NPs are precepted by an attending the same as PAs and residents.
Here, they are licensed by both boards, but have to be under supervision of a physician. I don't know what other states' laws are regarding this, most would have some semblance of oversight, I'd imagine.
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