I really don't understand. I am a newish nurse that landed my "dream job" in the icu. My hospital is the biggest and best in the area and we are currently on a journey to magnet. I feel like I was lied to about how this would help nurses and we would be supported and taken care of.
In my icu we have a very high acuity. We are constantly short staffed and tripled. 1:1 for ccrt pts is advertised but never actually happens!
I have seen a patient self extubate during the holy interdisciplinary rounds due to that nurse being tripled and spread out across the unit. None of the bosses said any thing and just went on to round on the next patient.
The majority of our assistants will not help unless asked and it's like pulling teeth just to get them to help with a blood sugar check. Often they are sitting on their cellphones or just catching up on gossip. But since they have worked there a long time it is widely accepted by the staff.
We have are losing staff nurses left and right.
I have been talked down to by our surgeons and blatantly disrespected on more than one occasion for trying to help a patient but not enough to be considered abusive so that I could report it. Once, I calmly asked a doc to update the close family members of a dying patient at their request. Since a distant family had been updated, the doctor was visibly offended and proceeded to call my charge nurse and say "I got in her face" which was completely false. Luckily the charge was within ear shot and heard everything. This was swept under the rug.
During my new nurse orientation the nursing instructor preached against unions especially since we were going magnet and would have so many benefits.
I feel like a strong nurse union could solve many of our problems and help our patient care. But the majority of nurses I have talked to are completely against it. I can't understand this for the life of me.
Sadly, my dream job has turned to hell. I love my sick patients and family but sick of being overworked, tripled, never even getting a lunch break, all while being talked down to and humiliated by the Dr.s that see me as a stupid new nurse.
I am working in my first union job as a 17 year experienced nurse. The benefits seem fantastic compared to what I had before,but it also seems like it is more work to get days off.
My previous job gave no raises at all. I had the same hourly wage for a decade.
I started at a non-union hospital and now work at a union hospital. I had better staffing ratios at the non-union hospital. Nurses were happier there, too.
Staffing now at my current hospital is so dangerous and the union isn’t doing much about it. Nurses are being floated to areas they are not trained, instead of management hiring appropriately trained nurses. Complaints to the union seem to be met with shrugs. We don’t have clear outlines in our contract about where nurses can float or what an appropriate ratio is for each specialty. Very disappointing.
I started at a non-union hospital and now work at a union hospital. I had better staffing ratios at the non-union hospital. Nurses were happier there, too.
Staffing now at my current hospital is so dangerous and the union isn’t doing much about it. Nurses are being floated to areas they are not trained, instead of management hiring appropriately trained nurses. Complaints to the union seem to be met with shrugs. We don’t have clear outlines in our contract about where nurses can float or what an appropriate ratio is for each specialty. Very disappointing.
Complaints to the union seem to be met with shrugs. We don’t have clear outlines in our contract about where nurses can float or what an appropriate ratio is for each specialty. Very disappointing.
That’s truly unfortunate. I’m sorry that has been your experience. I feel very fortunate to have the union we have. It has been especially important during the pandemic.
Unions have the most effect over pay and benefits. Unsafe working conditions fall under AHCA or OSHA. Unsafe patient care falls under TJC or AHCA.
Administration encourages the belief that unions are ineffective and expensive regarding things that are beyond their realm.
Until recently TJC inspectors pre-scheduled their inspections and were housed and dined at the hospital’s expense.
There is no need for a union when there is an attentive administration, unfortunately the attention for the past 20 years has been the quarterly profit report.
But I paid union dues that probably went to something I didn't like but that's no reason not to be in one. Nurses are not monolithic in ANYTHING, much less politics. And I can assure that the political donation checks go to BOTH parties - I know because I use to deliver them to the state officials personally.
Welcome to nursing in the hospital setting. Like socialism and communism, it all looks good on paper. There's a reason why so many nurses are leaving the field.
Unions don't just have political views, and also work hard to enact legislation that protects patients and healthcare workers. I have worked in both represented and non-represented. The jobs I had that were non-union fortunately were with the best managers ever, and were on our side all the time. Things have changed over the decades and now corporations are seeking the almighty dollar instead of providing patient care in a healthy work environment. Union nurses have better pay and benefits, and get rest and meal breaks for the most part. Non-union employers can change your benefits at the drop of a hat and fire you in a minute if they don't like you.
Unions don't just have political views, and also work hard to enact legislation that protects patients and healthcare workers. I have worked in both represented and non-represented. The jobs I had that were non-union fortunately were with the best managers ever, and were on our side all the time. Things have changed over the decades and now corporations are seeking the almighty dollar instead of providing patient care in a healthy work environment. Union nurses have better pay and benefits, and get rest and meal breaks for the most part. Non-union employers can change your benefits at the drop of a hat and fire you in a minute if they don't like you.
Couldn't say it any better. I've worked for both union and non-union hospitals. Admins LOVE to use scare tactics on nurses, but I've only seen it done in union hospitals (not to say that it doesn't happen in non-union hospitals). I've seen the best teams I've ever had the pleasure of working within non-union hospitals, but the pay and everything else was less than competing hospitals in the area. I've worked for a hospital that broke down where the hospital spends money and what's leftover, and you can definitely see the profit. I feel halfsies on this since it's not a good feeling to see a hospital in the red either.
guest1171208
26 Posts
I am working in my first union job as a 17 year experienced nurse. The benefits seem fantastic compared to what I had before,but it also seems like it is more work to get days off.
My previous job gave no raises at all. I had the same hourly wage for a decade.