Comments for truenursing.com http://truenursing.com Why is there a nursing shortage? Read on.... Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:40:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 Comment on “Thrown to the dogs” or Lack of Training by rishigupta02445 http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/inadequate-training/comment-page-1/#comment-20 rishigupta02445 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:40:34 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=174#comment-20 Yep. I was chastised for missing a pediatric heart murmur even though I hardly trained for murmurs in school. After a heated discussion, it was agreed that I could take an online course from www.easyauscultation.com or buy a Littmann educational CD. Yep. I was chastised for missing a pediatric heart murmur even though I hardly trained for murmurs in school. After a heated discussion, it was agreed that I could take an online course from http://www.easyauscultation.com or buy a Littmann educational CD.

]]> Comment on Toxic Work Environment or “Nurses that eat their young” by geekRN http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/nurses-eat-young/comment-page-1/#comment-19 geekRN Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:20:36 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=156#comment-19 I came across this book when doing research on employee abuse and ostricizing. Although half of the content deals with "the silent treatment", the psychology around being the perpetrator and the victim of this treatment is accurate for what happens in toxic work environments. There sections on bullying behavior as well. On the Google books site, you can read excerpts from quite a few pages. What I have read so far was very enlightening. [img]http://truenursing.com/wp-content/upload/Ostracism-1.jpg[/img] I came across this book when doing research on employee abuse and ostricizing. Although half of the content deals with “the silent treatment”, the psychology around being the perpetrator and the victim of this treatment is accurate for what happens in toxic work environments. There sections on bullying behavior as well. On the Google books site, you can read excerpts from quite a few pages. What I have read so far was very enlightening.
Ostracism-1.jpg

]]> Comment on “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t”; or just looking for a nurse to blame… by geekRN http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/damned-2/comment-page-1/#comment-16 geekRN Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:54:18 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=142#comment-16 No worries. The truth is not slanderous ever - it is just the plain, often harsh, truth which is what this blog is about. Thanks so much for your comments, geekRN No worries. The truth is not slanderous ever – it is just the plain, often harsh, truth which is what this blog is about.

Thanks so much for your comments,

geekRN

]]> Comment on “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t”; or just looking for a nurse to blame… by geekRN http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/damned-2/comment-page-1/#comment-15 geekRN Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:49:07 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=142#comment-15 So sorry that I am late with replying again. This site is side project that has to be put on the back burner when I have the chance to make money. I cannot believe that with an atty. present, the hospital was allowed to speak more. Of course, this may work out to their detriment because they were irrationally accusing you of drug abuse without solid evidence. If they had suspected drug abuse, they should have confronted you long before now with suspicions based on reports from co-workers and missing narcotics during the count. How lame is that!! Big business hospitals will stoop to any level to cover for the poor decisions made by their managers. This is an outrage and you should be able to sue them and get your retirement funds back, I say. What evidence do they have for their suspicions?? What right do they have to drag your work history through the mud with unwarranted accusations? Even a union won't help you in this situation - I know from experience. They take your money, but don't help you keep your job when stuff like this happens. I know it will be hard to continue the fight, but many people in similar situations have won battles like this, even after friends and family abandoned them during the fight. You were already stressed to the max because of the job and now this. It is so unfair and just downright mean. I think you should fight for as long as you can, but working in LTC is unfortunately not going to be any better unless it is assisted living or you luck out and the place is well staffed and well run. Another area to check out - occupational health nursing. Most huge distribution centers for stores like Lowe's, Target, Home Depot, etc. have some kind of occupational health clinic. I do per diem at the Lowe's near me and so just discovered this. Travel nursing pay well and has benefits, but that is not for everyone. Large insurance companies also hire nurses and that would be much easier the floor nursing. It will take you awhile to "get over this" because you are going through a grieving process just like if you lost someone close to you because you worked there for so long and counted on the security and familiar environment; however, it really is more similar to an unwanted divorce due to an abusive ex-spouse!! Geeeeeez..... I hope by now that your new job is working out for you well so that you can be strong again. Hang in there and keep me posted, geekRN So sorry that I am late with replying again. This site is side project that has to be put on the back burner when I have the chance to make money.

I cannot believe that with an atty. present, the hospital was allowed to speak more. Of course, this may work out to their detriment because they were irrationally accusing you of drug abuse without solid evidence. If they had suspected drug abuse, they should have confronted you long before now with suspicions based on reports from co-workers and missing narcotics during the count. How lame is that!! Big business hospitals will stoop to any level to cover for the poor decisions made by their managers. This is an outrage and you should be able to sue them and get your retirement funds back, I say. What evidence do they have for their suspicions?? What right do they have to drag your work history through the mud with unwarranted accusations? Even a union won’t help you in this situation – I know from experience. They take your money, but don’t help you keep your job when stuff like this happens. I know it will be hard to continue the fight, but many people in similar situations have won battles like this, even after friends and family abandoned them during the fight. You were already stressed to the max because of the job and now this. It is so unfair and just downright mean. I think you should fight for as long as you can, but working in LTC is unfortunately not going to be any better unless it is assisted living or you luck out and the place is well staffed and well run.

Another area to check out – occupational health nursing. Most huge distribution centers for stores like Lowe’s, Target, Home Depot, etc. have some kind of occupational health clinic. I do per diem at the Lowe’s near me and so just discovered this. Travel nursing pay well and has benefits, but that is not for everyone. Large insurance companies also hire nurses and that would be much easier the floor nursing.

It will take you awhile to “get over this” because you are going through a grieving process just like if you lost someone close to you because you worked there for so long and counted on the security and familiar environment; however, it really is more similar to an unwanted divorce due to an abusive ex-spouse!! Geeeeeez…..

I hope by now that your new job is working out for you well so that you can be strong again.

Hang in there and keep me posted,

geekRN

]]> Comment on “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t”; or just looking for a nurse to blame… by annsaudie http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/damned-2/comment-page-1/#comment-14 annsaudie Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:34:53 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=142#comment-14 p.s. sorry for the foul language in my first e-mail. i was so very upset!!i am not usually so foul. The worst of all hospitals is St. James in Chicago Heights, Illinois. p.s. sorry for the foul language in my first e-mail. i was so very upset!!i am not usually so foul. The worst of all hospitals is St. James in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

]]> Comment on Nursing “Management” by annsaudie http://truenursing.com/2009/10/30/nursing-management/comment-page-1/#comment-13 annsaudie Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:32:30 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=279#comment-13 sounds so typical!! another reason to hate being a nurse sounds so typical!! another reason to hate being a nurse

]]> Comment on “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t”; or just looking for a nurse to blame… by annsaudie http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/damned-2/comment-page-1/#comment-12 annsaudie Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:25:25 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=142#comment-12 Hello again, Thank you for your empathy! I had my appeal over the phone, it was a joke. My former nurse manager was allowed to ramble on about all my faults/ they even had a lawyer imply that i was negligent and in doing things "my way" i was in violation of the hospitals rules and do not deserve unemployment. My lawyer objected to the comment of "my way" and the referree agreed. I am certain i didn't do well! Because i wasn't allowed much talk time. It was a nightmare because the employer was allowed to speak more than i was allowed. They made me sound like i was abusing the drugs that i didn't scan. Even though my drug test was negative. isn't that a hoot! like i would take the drugs... that is irrational.. ur right! I plan to appeal again, write out in detail about what happened. I am getting tired of the fight, i still have no income. I do start a new job at a nursing home in 2 days, it feels like im still not over what happened at the hospital. it's llike i didn't get a chance to explain satisfactorily, Yet they sure did. I hate the thought of getting back to the BS with all the bitchy RNs. I hate being a nurse and it is horrible... Hello again,
Thank you for your empathy! I had my appeal over the phone, it was a joke. My former nurse manager was allowed to ramble on about all my faults/ they even had a lawyer imply that i was negligent and in doing things “my way” i was in violation of the hospitals rules and do not deserve unemployment. My lawyer objected to the comment of “my way” and the referree agreed. I am certain i didn’t do well! Because i wasn’t allowed much talk time.
It was a nightmare because the employer was allowed to speak more than i was allowed. They made me sound like i was abusing the drugs that i didn’t scan. Even though my drug test was negative. isn’t that a hoot! like i would take the drugs… that is irrational.. ur right!

I plan to appeal again, write out in detail about what happened. I am getting tired of the fight, i still have no income.
I do start a new job at a nursing home in 2 days, it feels like im still not over what happened at the hospital. it’s llike i didn’t get a chance to explain satisfactorily, Yet they sure did. I hate the thought of getting back to the BS with all the bitchy RNs. I hate being a nurse and it is horrible…

]]> Comment on Nursing “Management” by geekRN http://truenursing.com/2009/10/30/nursing-management/comment-page-1/#comment-11 geekRN Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:36:01 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=279#comment-11 I have witnessed this phenomenon as well: Along with others, I supported and encouraged a co-worker to apply for the management position in the department we worked for. This co-worker was very well liked, organized and realistic about the previous managers and hospital administration and we all thought that she had excellent ideas and would make a great manager and <em>nurse advocate</em>. After being promoted to manager, her personality changed and she evolved into the typical non-supportive, condescending and often cruel management style that we had had in the past. Many co-workers quit or transferred from pure exasperation at being let down yet again. That was the last time I ever actively supported a co-worker going into management. I have also experienced having a manager put in place by administration that did not have any working experience in the specialty area that we worked in. Specifically, she was a med-surg nurse that was put in charge of the birthing center at Walla Walla General Hospital. She had no L&D or NICU experience. In fact, she would not go into the nursery at all or attend the baby after a delivery. She did learn L&D basics, but would not attend a high risk case. Since everyone on the unit was expected to work all areas of the department, having a manager that would not learn all the areas served to set an example for a new grad that was hired. After being hired, the new grad suddenly refused to work L&D and would only work in the nursery because she had a "phobia" about vomit. She was supported by this manager completely, much to the dismay of the rest of the nurses on the unit. This decision left the night shift staff in a perilous position because if the new grad was the only other staff on schedule, the night nurse would not have any back-up for emergencies that walked in the door during the shift as she would not even enter the room until the baby was born. The department manager also gave this nurse the only raise during the annual reviews that she conducted during the first month of her management job. All of the other nurses on the unit were told that they did not deserve a wage increase and that they had received nothing but complaints all year. Many nurses were so upset by this that they quit. Two nurses in particular, had been working in that department for over 10 years. Both of them moved to Boise, Idaho to work at a birthing center there after this happened. Those of us that stayed hung in there and supported each other as much as possible, but the over all morale of the unit was very low and turn-over continued. Eventually, I left as well. I have witnessed this phenomenon as well: Along with others, I supported and encouraged a co-worker to apply for the management position in the department we worked for. This co-worker was very well liked, organized and realistic about the previous managers and hospital administration and we all thought that she had excellent ideas and would make a great manager and nurse advocate. After being promoted to manager, her personality changed and she evolved into the typical non-supportive, condescending and often cruel management style that we had had in the past. Many co-workers quit or transferred from pure exasperation at being let down yet again. That was the last time I ever actively supported a co-worker going into management.

I have also experienced having a manager put in place by administration that did not have any working experience in the specialty area that we worked in. Specifically, she was a med-surg nurse that was put in charge of the birthing center at Walla Walla General Hospital. She had no L&D or NICU experience. In fact, she would not go into the nursery at all or attend the baby after a delivery. She did learn L&D basics, but would not attend a high risk case. Since everyone on the unit was expected to work all areas of the department, having a manager that would not learn all the areas served to set an example for a new grad that was hired. After being hired, the new grad suddenly refused to work L&D and would only work in the nursery because she had a “phobia” about vomit. She was supported by this manager completely, much to the dismay of the rest of the nurses on the unit. This decision left the night shift staff in a perilous position because if the new grad was the only other staff on schedule, the night nurse would not have any back-up for emergencies that walked in the door during the shift as she would not even enter the room until the baby was born. The department manager also gave this nurse the only raise during the annual reviews that she conducted during the first month of her management job. All of the other nurses on the unit were told that they did not deserve a wage increase and that they had received nothing but complaints all year. Many nurses were so upset by this that they quit. Two nurses in particular, had been working in that department for over 10 years. Both of them moved to Boise, Idaho to work at a birthing center there after this happened. Those of us that stayed hung in there and supported each other as much as possible, but the over all morale of the unit was very low and turn-over continued. Eventually, I left as well.

]]> Comment on “Damned if you do; damned if you don’t”; or just looking for a nurse to blame… by geekRN http://truenursing.com/2009/08/23/damned-2/comment-page-1/#comment-10 geekRN Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:38:31 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=142#comment-10 OMG! I am soooo sorry this happened to you, but not surprised. Is this by any chance the St James Hospital in Butte, MT??. My first RN job was at this hospital and I was fired after 2 years of employment after delivering a baby from a precipitous birth with an experienced nurse helping me. I was also denied unemployment at first, but I appealed and wrote a 5 page explanation describing the events that led up to my being fired. The hospital was given a chance to explain their part, but did not do so satisfactorily, and I won my unemployment. Have you tried an appeal yet?? There is no good reason for any nurse to be unemployed especially with a nursing shortage. No unemployment office should support this kind of irrational behavior on the part of "powers that be" from any medical organization. You should also see an attorney. The first consultation is usually free and you can at least get advice on whether or not you have a case. Nurses are not perfect and cannot be held to this unreasonable standard. Does every nurse in the ER scan the medication first?? For that matter, how about in L & D?? Any emergent situation is always going to involve little errors during the crisis. When the crisis is over, then you can scan all of the medication and supplies used. What a bunch of BS!! It pains me to hear these stories and that is why I started this blog. There has to be a way to stop this kind employee abuse that is so prevalent in the medical world. Also, have you tried agency nursing?. Sorry it took me so long to respond - I have been working on another project that totally consumed that the last 3 weeks. geekRN OMG! I am soooo sorry this happened to you, but not surprised. Is this by any chance the St James Hospital in Butte, MT??. My first RN job was at this hospital and I was fired after 2 years of employment after delivering a baby from a precipitous birth with an experienced nurse helping me. I was also denied unemployment at first, but I appealed and wrote a 5 page explanation describing the events that led up to my being fired. The hospital was given a chance to explain their part, but did not do so satisfactorily, and I won my unemployment. Have you tried an appeal yet?? There is no good reason for any nurse to be unemployed especially with a nursing shortage. No unemployment office should support this kind of irrational behavior on the part of “powers that be” from any medical organization. You should also see an attorney. The first consultation is usually free and you can at least get advice on whether or not you have a case. Nurses are not perfect and cannot be held to this unreasonable standard. Does every nurse in the ER scan the medication first?? For that matter, how about in L & D?? Any emergent situation is always going to involve little errors during the crisis. When the crisis is over, then you can scan all of the medication and supplies used. What a bunch of BS!! It pains me to hear these stories and that is why I started this blog. There has to be a way to stop this kind employee abuse that is so prevalent in the medical world. Also, have you tried agency nursing?.

Sorry it took me so long to respond – I have been working on another project that totally consumed that the last 3 weeks.

geekRN

]]> Comment on Nursing “Management” by annsaudie http://truenursing.com/2009/10/30/nursing-management/comment-page-1/#comment-9 annsaudie Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:22:40 +0000 http://truenursing.com/?p=279#comment-9 yes ... the cold , cruel, meanspirited , ugly and hateful always make it to the 'so called top' and call themselves RN MANAGERS.. THEY ARE GESTOPOS AND GOD SEES WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE.. yes … the cold , cruel, meanspirited , ugly and hateful always make it to the ’so called top’ and call themselves RN MANAGERS.. THEY ARE GESTOPOS AND GOD SEES WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE..

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