In the last blog we established that if you're in a job you hate, you need to find another one. If you hate your job, how effective a nurse can you really be? That's the question I want to take a look at now.
Contrary to what my last entry may have sounded like, I believe in being a change agent for our profession. Consider this a call to arms. If you're on a floor that's understaffed, and you feel under appreciated, I suggest pulling together –and make something happen.
And actually, you might find that the "seasoned" nurses may be the more effective voices with management. But the "newbies" can't be afraid to back them up. It's time to stop looking out only for your own interests and band together. The question is whether this can be done without compromising patient care. On the other hand, being short-staffed IS compromising patient care!
Here's the bottom line: You have to call for change before the bitchiness starts. No management staff is going to give you what you want if you come at them like a bunch of whiners. Act like the professionals you are. If you don't get the change you need to make your floor a safe place for patients as well as a nice place to work, quit. If they have no nurses, they have no patients. No patients, no revenue.
Just see how long the changes take then!
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October 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Amen…..and Good luck!
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I’m working on my RN bridge, infact I’m studying for a microbiology test now. I am a LPN-IV certified. This time 2009(!) I will be a RN, actual bridge program starts fall of 2008. I work LTC, it would be nice if most or all of the nurses and other bedside care staff would band together, I can’t see it happening in reality in LTC. Places that are staffed well, are places that you want to work-and our administration seems to know that. But I’ve been at places where I was the only nurse on night shift with 80 patients, and CNA’s and MT. Talk about a house of cards.
November 6th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Nurses must not forget that they are professionals and when an issue(s) comes up, they should present their concerns in an organized manner. Define the issue clearly and state how the problem impacts staff/patient care/hospital, present possible solutions and ask for a reply within a given timeframe. I believe if you approach the issue in a professional manner you will get a positive response from management.
In response to the comment Gigi I believe places that have unsafe staff:patient ratio should be reported to the Department of Health:LTC.
Regards to all,
Diane
dianej.wordpress.com
November 8th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I agree whole-heartedly! If you want change to happen, you cannot be afraid to speak up and / or back up others. If you aren’t willing to help make the change happen, quit complaining! too often people only want to complain, but suddenly become silent when it comes time to actually speak up about these concerns constructively when it counts!