If all the nursing school suddenly open the door and let more people in, there will be a overflowed. Think about all those software programmers back in the days, lawyers, MBAs. We used to think lawyers and MBAs can make a pretty good living but now there are too many out on the streets.
I'm sure you guys don't want to see the same thing happen in nursing, don't you? DO NOT increase enrollments of nursing schools please. Otherwise, we will all suffer. Graduate 10,000 new nurses each year across the nation would be enough.
If you are in nursing education, tell the dean DO NOT increase the enrollments therwise, we will all be screwed.
Uhhh, there is no way that clinical responsibilities even REMOTELY resemble actual nursing responsibilities. And, while students are wonderful, having them "care" for my patients, basically doubles my workload. It most certainly does not lessen the load.
I can do the tasks much faster and with greater efficiency without students tagging along, observing, asking questions, needing assistance, unable to get into the pyxis, or charge (for that matter) even find supplies, or go to the blood bank. I also do not get a choice in whether I get to "teach" them nor do I get "paid" for teaching them. I generally do not know their tasks, goals, or abilities. And I have to worry that if they screwup, I will be batting cleanup and dealing with the fallout from the family/patient.
And while I may smile and say "Thank You", I CERTAINLY do not trust the student's nursing knowledge. I have to independantly assess my patients and I often spot what the students have missed. And they miss alot. Why.....because they are students. We do not just turn the patients over to students for several hours...we still have to do many of the same tasks....with a constant audience, questions, and trying not to step on anyone's toes.
I have been a traveler, in my first week on a floor, and been given students. At that point, I do not know where things are, nor many of the policies and I am expected to take on the load of students an "instantaneously" teach them.
But until students graduate , many do believe that clinical resembles nursing.
I dont know from which school student you had came from ,but in our school our instructors watch us and stand by our side when we take medication from pixys.When I used to take on patients lets say with high blood pressure the nurses didnt double check the blood pressure I took before I administered medication. .As a matter fact I refused at least twice to go ahead with the order because I thought it was unsafe(one time patient had very low blood pressure and I told the nurse and she still insisted I give patient the medication so I let the instructor know that I thought it was wrong.Another case was when I had to give a patient whole lot of Insulin units and I also refused).Bottom line my instructor agree with me and I didnt had follow the order.I dont think the nurses are unhappy having students and they enjoy that we take some of their work weight.Some get even angry when we wont get the procedure done.I remember I was taking care of the patient who needed dressing change and my instructor asked the nurse if she wants to watch me how I do it.You should see the face she gave him and with unhappy tone of voice she said she would stay with me for the procedure.Why this attitude, she would have to do it anyway but I guess in her mind the patient was assigned to me and she have the opportunity to use her time for something else.I could throw in more examples,but I think I made my point.All I know iswhen I chart my assessement nurses dont assess my patient AGAIN,so please dont tell me that this is the case.
Okay.........I made it 3 pages into the thread before I formed the assumption that no one else is seeing that maybe the "nursing shortage" is a doing of schools and not hospitals. The only rationale I have for that theory is WHY NOT? Schools are there to make money, and if they can foster the idea that there is a great demand for nurses, why would they NOT take advantage of it? It reminds me a lot of IT programs. I only have a 2 year degree, but I know that it's not far removed from a 4 year degree as far as job opportunities go. Or near zilch. When I started taking classes for an IT degree in '98 there were GOZILLIONS of schools out there pushing their IT programs. The sales pitches ranged from "You will be prepared for Y2K" (by the way, what a joke) to "The internet is going to explode". The only thing that exploded was the theory that all these computer graduates would have jobs when they got out of school. The schools got rich, and the employers got poorer. No, that's not just a poor play of words. Ever heard the term 'vapor ware'? It was one of the primary reasons for the destruction of the 'IT job market' as we all knew it.
Wouldn't bath a homeless guy? That's very compassionate and caring? I bathe homeless guys all the time. It's like I'm bathing oh....a human being..Well, good luck. Get yourself a study group. I thought it helped me through school, unless you're one of those people who like to study alone.
That *would* be a problem for me. I have never been one to be able to 'study' when everyone else in the group is chatting up what they're doing on the weekend or some other nonsense. Maybe it's different in nursing-oriented workstudy groups, but I have a hard imagining it to be.
In California, there is in fact a nursing shortage, but mostly because there are not a lot of schools, and since the teaching pay is crap, my RN's experienced and credentialed to teach, opt not to because they make so much more money out practicing. At my school in particular some of our instructors have really not had much experience practicing, which I also find problematic because when you are learning a trade, you are only as good as the person teaching you right. My fundamentals instructor failed half of the 41 seat class last semester.. 658/ credit hour baby....down the drain. Plus it a catholic school so you have to take a bunch of additional classes that are religion related and non-transferrable.
Okay.........I made it 3 pages into the thread before I formed the assumption that no one else is seeing that maybe the "nursing shortage" is a doing of schools and not hospitals. The only rationale I have for that theory is WHY NOT? Schools are there to make money, and if they can foster the idea that there is a great demand for nurses, why would they NOT take advantage of it? It reminds me a lot of IT programs. I only have a 2 year degree, but I know that it's not far removed from a 4 year degree as far as job opportunities go. Or near zilch. When I started taking classes for an IT degree in '98 there were GOZILLIONS of schools out there pushing their IT programs. The sales pitches ranged from "You will be prepared for Y2K" (by the way, what a joke) to "The internet is going to explode". The only thing that exploded was the theory that all these computer graduates would have jobs when they got out of school. The schools got rich, and the employers got poorer. No, that's not just a poor play of words. Ever heard the term 'vapor ware'? It was one of the primary reasons for the destruction of the 'IT job market' as we all knew it.
I don't believe there really is a shortage of nurses. I believe that there is a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the crap that we have to deal with at the bedside.
Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.
I don't believe there really is a shortage of nurses. I believe that there is a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the crap that we have to deal with at the bedside.
You are SO correct! This is one of the many reasons good nurses take early retirement!
I don't believe there really is a shortage of nurses. I believe that there is a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the crap that we have to deal with at the bedside.
Is it really any worse than it was generations ago, though? There is more technology today, for sure, more documentation that must be completed, but that just creates a situation in which more must be done with less. I don't know that I agree that it's crap that must be dealt with, though (unless it's a dirty diaper). That seems to be the mantra of those looking to protect their own interests.
Is it really any worse than it was generations ago, though? There is more technology today, for sure, more documentation that must be completed, but that just creates a situation in which more must be done with less. I don't know that I agree that it's crap that must be dealt with, though (unless it's a dirty diaper). That seems to be the mantra of those looking to protect their own interests.
Generations ago, nurses were treated with much respect. Back then, no one would dare verbally or physically abuse a nurse like we are today. Society was different generations ago. Technology is a wonderful advancement in any field but it doesn't mean squat when it comes to making things "easier" for a nurse. Mantra of protecting their own interests? Do you know how many nurses left the bedside because of the B.S. we put up with today? Hundreds of thousands. They either left the bedside for another area of nursing or left nursing all together. It's a sad fact that's very true.
See Grace Oz's post. I'm not the only one who feels that there isn't a nursing shortage, but a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the B.S. that the customer service generation has created. Patients back then used to be patients, now they are clients. And we have to cater to every need and their families needs and if we don't we now have surveys that rate the customer service they received during their stay. So we could all get reprimanded because we didn't bring a glass of water fast enough to a patient because another patient was coding. But that doesn't matter, the customer is always right no matter what. And patients don't care if another patient is not breathing or doesn't have a heart beat, they want their water...
What I am saying is not a figment of my imagination, there are many other threads regarding the nursing shortage and many other members have basically said the same thing I have, that there is no nursing shortage, but a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the crap that they have to deal with at the bedside.
I love my job, don't get me wrong, there are a ton of reasons why there is this "shortage"...It's not just because of abusive patients and family members, its also due to poor working conditions, poor nurse to patient ratios, mandatory overtime, low pay,no benefits or crappy benefits. non-union, unsupportive management and administration...etc..I'm sure there are some other members who could add a few to that list. These are all things that administration is either unable or unwilling to fix.
Michigan, you say you love your job, yet you seem so bitter. So intent on painting such a gloomy picture of the nursing field. What does that accomplish? One thing that I know that it would accomplish is scaring off potential workers. That IS job security!
Yes, patients today do demand more for their money. There are a number of reasons for this. It costs so much more today to "see a doctor" than it used to. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but in the olden days you didn't pay anything to see a doctor. And, back then being attended to by a nurse was often a much more serious matter. Colds could easily kill you. A small cut could cause you to lose your leg.
One of the things that I have observed when meeting nurses today is that nurses so often do not COMMUNICATE. They don't explain to me what they are doing, and when they do see me (sorry for the generalizations) they treat me like I'm a number or an object. Yeah, back then we were just "patients", but back then people in general were more polite, caring, compassionate. Not so today.
BTW, I don't think there is a nursing shortage at all. I maintain that at least *some* of it is hype generated by nursing programs.
Michigan, you say you love your job, yet you seem so bitter. So intent on painting such a gloomy picture of the nursing field. What does that accomplish? One thing that I know that it would accomplish is scaring off potential workers. That IS job security!
Yes, patients today do demand more for their money. There are a number of reasons for this. It costs so much more today to "see a doctor" than it used to. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but in the olden days you didn't pay anything to see a doctor. And, back then being attended to by a nurse was often a much more serious matter. Colds could easily kill you. A small cut could cause you to lose your leg.
One of the things that I have observed when meeting nurses today is that nurses so often do not COMMUNICATE. They don't explain to me what they are doing, and when they do see me (sorry for the generalizations) they treat me like I'm a number or an object. Yeah, back then we were just "patients", but back then people in general were more polite, caring, compassionate. Not so today.
BTW, I don't think there is a nursing shortage at all. I maintain that at least *some* of it is hype generated by nursing programs.
Hugs,
Aeron
I don't really feel the need to explain myself to you, but I guess I will. I worked at an employer that had zero respect for nurses. Needless to say after two years I got up the courage to leave and now work at a hospital where nurses are respected by administration and doctors. I'm not bitter. I'm just merely expressing my view point on the reason there is a shortage of nurses. What would you like me to paint the field of nursing as? It's not a bed of roses. And I'm not going to sugar-coat what it really is. It's very hard, that is why I say one needs to have a thick skin to be a nurse.
Kasia3
63 Posts
I dont know from which school student you had came from ,but in our school our instructors watch us and stand by our side when we take medication from pixys.When I used to take on patients lets say with high blood pressure the nurses didnt double check the blood pressure I took before I administered medication. .As a matter fact I refused at least twice to go ahead with the order because I thought it was unsafe(one time patient had very low blood pressure and I told the nurse and she still insisted I give patient the medication so I let the instructor know that I thought it was wrong.Another case was when I had to give a patient whole lot of Insulin units and I also refused).Bottom line my instructor agree with me and I didnt had follow the order.I dont think the nurses are unhappy having students and they enjoy that we take some of their work weight.Some get even angry when we wont get the procedure done.I remember I was taking care of the patient who needed dressing change and my instructor asked the nurse if she wants to watch me how I do it.You should see the face she gave him and with unhappy tone of voice she said she would stay with me for the procedure.Why this attitude, she would have to do it anyway but I guess in her mind the patient was assigned to me and she have the opportunity to use her time for something else.I could throw in more examples,but I think I made my point.All I know iswhen I chart my assessement nurses dont assess my patient AGAIN,so please dont tell me that this is the case.