Where is our "Safe Haven"

Nurses Activism

Published

Specializes in Dialysis, Hospice, Critical care.

I have passed this sign countless times, and I finally just couldn't stand it anymore. It reminds me of a sign I saw posted in a yard in Norfolk, Virginia when I was stationed there years ago. It read "DOGS AND SAILORS NOT Allowed On Grass". But more to the point, it begs the question of just where the "Safe Haven" for nursing staff is.

In our facility, due to extensive remodeling, we lost our employee cafeteria and dining room..no "Safe Haven" in the food court we now have. We take our meals in a small, cramped break room, with no real respite from the needs on the floor thanks to incessant Vocera calls...no "Safe Haven" there. Once we have guided a patient and family through the process and grief of their loved one dying, we get no respite...no "Safe Haven" there.

So, where is our "Safe Haven"?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Wow. Illustration of the immense power imbalance that cascades throughout US healthcare ... and the lack of an effective Nursing "voice".

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I'm almost tempted to spray paint over it, or cut that sign up with a pair of trauma shears.

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

The bathroom? LOL, and it is usually nasty and stinks.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

That sign is incredibly offensive. At the moment, words simply fail me. I think I'd be tempted to make a bunch of "Doctors Only" signs and start posting them above drinking fountains, and anywhere else that seemed like a good spot. Sometimes you have to exaggerate something to make TPTB see just how bad it looks.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
That sign is incredibly offensive. At the moment, words simply fail me. I think I'd be tempted to make a bunch of "Doctors Only" signs and start posting them above drinking fountains, and anywhere else that seemed like a good spot. Sometimes you have to exaggerate something to make TPTB see just how bad it looks.

Took me a minute to realize what you were suggesting ...

But that was my thought also.:no:

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

That sign is a symptom of the health system that we own in this country.

It is a system that values billable hours and profit over patient outcomes.

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I just stumbled across this post and thought to myself; "I would copy that sign, 'X' out the reference to 'Physicians', and insert the word 'Nurses'. I would then paste on every employee bathroom in the facility, just to make a point. (.....and I would include a tag line that says "Nurses need safe-havens too".

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I just stumbled across this post and thought to myself; "I would copy that sign, 'X' out the reference to 'Physicians', and insert the word 'Nurses'. I would then paste on every employee bathroom in the facility, just to make a point. (.....and I would include a tag line that says "Nurses need safe-havens too".

Our old "safe haven" area was in back of the nurses' station. There was a table, 2 chairs, a microwave and a toaster oven.

Also, a bathroom.

I don't know how many times docs would go in there, while we were eating, and pee like a racehorse. Or worse.

I started telling them, "We heard you, ya know.."

THEY had the nerve to complain about me.

I had to talk to the Chief Resident about this. So, we went back and sat in the "safe haven." As soon as he sat down with me, I had one of my nurse friends (male) come in and pee in the bathroom while we were talking.

Chief got the hint, and they stopped using our bathroom.

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It is offensive if the same cannot be done for other members of staff. I'd say it's nurses who don't get breaks or are under constant interruption. Once someone knocked on the toilet door when I was, you know, to tell me I had a lab back for one of my patients. I unloaded on them once I was out big time on how disrespectful that was.

I dunno. We finally got a break room. I ate my lunch in it on Tuesday alone. Everyone else ate at their desks because they weren't used to this break room concept.

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Specializes in ICU, Postpartum, Onc, PACU.
I have passed this sign countless times, and I finally just couldn't stand it anymore. It reminds me of a sign I saw posted in a yard in Norfolk, Virginia when I was stationed there years ago. It read "DOGS AND SAILORS NOT Allowed On Grass". But more to the point, it begs the question of just where the "Safe Haven" for nursing staff is.

In our facility, due to extensive remodeling, we lost our employee cafeteria and dining room..no "Safe Haven" in the food court we now have. We take our meals in a small, cramped break room, with no real respite from the needs on the floor thanks to incessant Vocera calls...no "Safe Haven" there. Once we have guided a patient and family through the process and grief of their loved one dying, we get no respite...no "Safe Haven" there.

So, where is our "Safe Haven"?

Apparently, everywhere else is our "safe place" (hahahaha)! My mom remembers the era of nursing where the doctor was always right, nurses got up from their seats when doctors entered a room, nurses got their coffee for them, etc.

I've only been a nurse since 2007 so I can't imagine stuff like this going on because I've never seen it. I would think that putting a lock on the door that only staff had the combination to (and where loud interruptions would NOT be tolerated) would be a better solution, but what do I know?

I treat everybody the same from the janitor to the Chief of whatever (which I also get from my mom, who got called out for not giving preferential treatment to doctors back in the day). I don't see why everybody has to single certain people out for special treatment like they're some sort of VIP or something.

I'd love to see what those same doctors would do if there were no nurses for a week...

xo

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