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Forum :: Issues in Nursing |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
20 12 2010 10:34
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| juliakathleen |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 14
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Like the OP, where I work has very few full time 3rd-6th year out RNs but that's because most of them are either on maternity leave or have returned with a young family. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
10 12 2010 00:00
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| Foxylass |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 118
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I intend to have NSWNA assist me to view my employee record as I know there are false accusations and derogatory remarks recorded without foundation throughout my workers comp case. Do you know I have never had a performance appraisal since commencing employment four years ago where I currently work? Nobody in my unit gets appraisals.You get absolutely no constructive feedback to assist you to become a better pratitioner,only criticism for what you may have done wrong. It's small wonder we cannot retain staff anymore and morale is extremely low. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
08 12 2010 08:00
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| Foxylass |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 118
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Hi Gordo,
I must not have logged one when I posted. I lived in QLD for years and worked as an agency RN and then again in NSW. I am originally from NSW.In QLD the equivalent of the HCCC is the HRC (Health Rights Commission). You would not be reported to them at all as a nurse.The HRC is a joke. I had gynae surgery in QLD in 2005. 24hrs after discharge I was in excrutiating pain and my mother called an ambulance.The private hosital where I'd had the surgery did not have an ED so I was taken to another hospital instead.The staff in ED were wonderful.I did a lot of agency work there and most of them knew me well.So much so that they ensured I received a staff discount for my account. When I got to he ward it was a different story. The registrar in ED told me that he had left a message for my gynaecologist at the other hospital to get in contact with him. I was admitted to the ward under Dr nobody.Yes I had NO consultant at all.The plan was that my doctor would contact them the next day and I would be transferred into his care.Only problem was my doctor did not have privileges at this hospital.Finally after two days he called me and told me that he would have another gynaecologist take over my care at this hospital. The new gynaecologist was a pig to put it kindly. He examined me 30mins after I'd had a Fentanyl injection & looked at my chart. Then he told me my pain seemed to have disappeared but he would have a neurosurgeon see me in case I had sacral nerve entrapment etc. He told me I was only to be given panadol for my pain and Voltaren if it was severe plus I needed to get out of bed and mobilise for as long as possible during the day. The neurosurgeon saw me and ordered an MRI. I was given panadol but the pain was so bad that I could not lie still in the MRI. I was pulled out and told off like a disobedient child.When I returned to the ward the pain was much worse. Voltaren did squat for it.I asked the nurses to get someone to see me and hours later nobody ,even the nurse had come. I finally got panadeine forte at 1am.The pain had been severe since 4pm the previous afternoon.Then the gynaecologist and neurosurgeon began to squabble about who wasn't caring for me.I was discharged home with no diagnosis;no resolution of the pain and a blank discharge sheet which an EN had signed! I asked to see my progress notes. The gynaecologist had written that my pain was not gynaecological;might be muscular but most likely psychosomatic!! I was furious. I contacted the HRC. I was informed that I had to try and resolve the issue with the doctor in question and they would only become involved if relations broke down. Naturally he refuted my complaint about his chauvanistic attitude and failure to care for me at all ,never mind no diagnosis no plan... I did get my own back by bad mouthing him to every antenatal nurse and patient that I could. I've never heard of a nurse being reported to the HCCC. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
08 12 2010 06:44
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| Old Nurse |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 15
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What a sensible story and very interesting. I put 100% effort into my work too. Next shift comes on unless you document what is to be done it won't get done. Sometimes this doesn't mean it's done either. We have a stupid end of bed handover day to evening shift. It is totally innapropriate and has severe breeches of confidentiality. Oncoming staff are too intent on writing info on a typed up list that they don't listen. Often a handover used to be a "gossip session" but often it was important to identify little things that a person may needed on discharge. being in a small country town we know lots of the residents so are often familiar with themselves and their families. We need new and decent managers thats the bottom line. far too many of them are "jobs for the boys or girls" who are way out of touch with reality. The new federal system was to be a good step forward but once again too many of the old regime had too much say, so it stays the same. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
08 12 2010 00:02
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| Guest |
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In the years I worked as an agency RN I never had any complaints made about me. I regularly rotated to the same units in the same hospitals. The only exception was a shift I did in an ICU at the Wesley Private just outside of Brisbane. It was NY Eve. I was given two patients.One old guy had had an unsucessful fem-pop bypass a week before.He had only recently been extubated and had various inotropes still running.He was a physically heavy pt to nurse.I also had another pt who should not have been admitted to ICU at all.He had a simple,uncomplicated laminectomy and an epidural block.He needed neurovasc obs and 2/24 rolls.However,he was three bedspaces away from my other pt. The shift was busy.My fem-pop pt had a raging infection in his leg which oozed all night long.I had to replace the wound losses and give packed cells. The team leader told me not to redress the leg as it was excrutiating for him and he had had little rest during the day.I was just to place blue sheets beneath the leg then weigh the soiled ones and so on.When I handed over the next morning I explained to the oncoming RN the team leader's orders about his leg.She proceeded to abuse me for not having replaced the Noradrenaline infusion which was to expire in 30 mins.However, failed to hear me say that it had been ceased five minutes ago and I had not yet removed it. After I finished handover the RN marched into the nurses' station and began bellowing ,"that agency RN must have just sat on her arse all night ..." The team leader immediately dressed her down for making such a statement and added that she had directed me NOT to redress the pt's leg overnight and that I had worked my backside off. The team leader apologised to me and told me that the RN had an attitude problem because she had ample staff to assist her to redress the pt's leg that morning and he needed to be seen by the pain team prior anyway. I thought no more about the incident until two days later when I received a phone call from the DON of that hospital. He said that the team leader had informed him of the permanent RN's atrocious attitude toward me and wished to apologise on behalf of the hospital for any duress this may have caused me.He went on to say that the team leader had a high regard for my clinical skills and I was most welcome to return to the ICU to work in the future. I was gobsmaked.I was expecting to hear him say the RN had lodged a complaint against me.
I have not found private hospitals to be fairer at all. I found myself always dangerously overloaded with patients in the wards and ICU (3-4 heavy HDU pts)due to the idiotic staffing tool "Trend Care" and the greedy hospital trying to maximise profit first by cutting staffing to the bone. It was dangerous and ripping off these people who unknowly were not receiving close to the amount of care they needed and were paying to receive substandard care. I found just as many cliques in the private sector as the public. Nursing can simply be a bitchy profession whether it takes place in a private hospital with harbour views or a public hospital with views of housing commission communities. It is an attitude problem that some individuals have. I don't know what the answer is. Poor or corrupt management systems certainly contributes to this poor attitude flourishing. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
21 10 2010 18:54
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| Old Nurse |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 15
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Our workplace is full of oldies (not all patients) There isn't any young ones wanting to work in the country. Our hospital just doesn't replace staff when they leave the just get rid of beds and make the oldies work double shifts. NSWNA knows about but alas we are in the country. Enough said. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
12 10 2010 16:04
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 122
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Have to smile!
I transferred a patient from ICU to the wards, and a few days later visited the ward to check on him and the family.Iturned up at the desk, in my agency uniform, to be stopped by the NUM with :"apart time you turned up! We called for you over an hour ago! Please turn the patients in beds 34 & 40 before they get bed sores!"
So I turned the patients, visited the one I came for and went back to ICU to play with ventilators and dialysis toys. As I left, the NUM stopped me and told me that the patients and nurses had commented that I was the best 'wardsman' they'd ever had, and if she could request me by name to work there permanently. I told het I'd love for her to do that.
Maybe she left, but I don't see her anymore.
I frequently tell the wardsmen that I'm 'the best wardsman in the hospital' (and they tell me where to go!).
I once had a dispute with the NUM of an ICU ( I complained about the patient they sent me and asked her to "not shave patients with a shovel in future"). I offered to go over to her hospital and show her staff how to do it. The next call was from my D.O.N. who said that in future I was to direct complaints through him , and not direct to the hospital. I told him that my way was more effective. I was soon moved from ICU, so put an offer and a plan of action to the hospital at the other end in this matter, and got the NUM's job in ICU as well as in CCU, and they increased my pay by $6,000 a year (also as I'd requested). They got their money's worth, as did I.
When I was NUM there, I was asked by 'hierarchy' a few times to 'sort out' certain staff they sent me, as there was only need for one more 'black mark' from me to get rid of the nurse. The nurses were deemed unsuitable. Every one of these nurses was brilliant, and was outspoken, used initiative, and stood up to authority. They were ideas people, and female, so had to die as they were obviously evil witches. I kept them in ICU, stopped their rotations to the wards, and the hierarchy thanked me for the sacrifice I was making in keeping them in my ward. Life can be strange , but fun , sometimes.
Many other good nurses though get destroyed, disillusioned etc in the process. |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
11 10 2010 12:56
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 122
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I have often been in nursing administration office or roster office, and caught hold of a conversation about 'the useless agency nurse' (or 'unreliable'), so step in and ask what the difference is here, as at least they can 'block' this person from returneing, yet have no such ability with the numerous totally useless people they have on permanent staff, that have complaints from every ward in hospital, but only get 'shovelled' from ward to ward, and eventually may even make 'NUM' status.Rarely do they get sacked.
As for 'evil agency' nurses, I tell them that years ago, agencies were the employer, could charge own rates for wages (like any non-nursing agency)and pay a better rate to the nurse. Thus , could attract more 'quality nurses'. Once the Health Department blocked this, so agency nurses only get 'NSW State award rate, and no 'overtime' for double shifts etc), many agencies lost loads of staff to hospitals (nurses worry about 'security'!). I have worked beside some agency nurses who are totally useless (I wouldn't trust them with my dog!). There are agency nurses who have yelled out ;" I'm not working in that ward! I am an ICU nurse and trained to look after one-on-one!" (then demand to have a permanent staff from ICU sent to wards so that they 9the agency idiot) can work in ICU. I tell them to bugger off and go home, and advise the NM to ring the agency and threaten them for sending morons. At the end of the day, the hospital administrator needs to balance the staffing, and any agency nurse with intelligence should be willing to work ANYWHERE if the situation demand it. I have worked in birth units, psych, etc, ..anywhere, but 90% is in critical care.
As for complaints about agency nurses. I check out every complaint, take it to the nurse, see where problem lies, and have reversed the complaint at times. i do defend my staff, if it is warranted. Once had a nurse who started complaining about 'the darkies' and 'Arabs' on a ward, claiming she was being victimised/discriminated against. Funny thing is she was of a darker skin (born o/s) than those she complained against. We told her there was no place for her , due to the ethics question, and she since .....signed up with another agency!
I have had nurses who 'applied to join the gency' and after screening the nurse, meeting at interview, checking references etc, decided not to accept them, as they were totally unsuitable in the profession, but then saw them work at the hospitals through the next agency! (I have literally lost thousands of dollars a week due to my integrity, yet the hospitals then still take them, despite filthy uniforms, slovenly appearance, and repeated complaints from wards). Hospitals must also be consistent, and not take nurses from agencies just because they are short-staffed! There was one nurse that had complaints from every ward (for laziness, attitude etc) so the nurse applied to work in a particular specialty area....and got the 'permanent job' ....where complaints continue, but the nurse remains.....
The NUMs of nursing admin do tell me of complaints r staff, and have always been willing to discuss with the nurse in order to resolve the complaint, and will even support my nurses, IF the nurse puts verything IN WRITING! This is because without it being in writing, there is no case if it goes further. Maybe this is because we established a reputation for our nurses, and our nurses tended to be well liked on the wards(because they 'work').
I hate nurses ( agency or permanent) who sit on their bums during the shift, take long breaks, take a dozen cigarette breaks ( why can't non-smokers take dozens of 'fresh air breaks), who don't continaually check with the other staff if they need a hand. I despise those who get to work, thenspend hours ringing home, ringing China etc, while their patients choke, get out of bed etc. These nurses should all be sacked, deregistered. Preganant nurses who worked well normally (before pregnancy etc) of course are exempt from these comments....they earned the rest. As an agency nurse, i make sure we have insurance. Even permanent staff should have had insurance.
I sacrificed many a hospital for being 'difficult' to my nurses, which cost me fortunes. When one private hospital ( it was the employer, and reponsible for wages) 'liquidated' and didn't pay the nurses, I took out an overdraft 9$26,000) and paid the nurses (it wasn't 'their' fault) - I never got the money back, but then most of the nurses ended up signing up with a hospital! - where was the loyalty to me in this one?
I tell nurses - Write every report as though it is going to the coroners court as evidence, and pretend that every patient or relative will sue you, even though you did nothing wrong...and I also ask them :" why would you be crazy enough to work for an agency, even mine, when you can run your own agency and get all the commission for yourself?" |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
11 10 2010 11:39
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
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Why have I had 3 identical versions of my comment pasted above? |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
09 10 2010 22:04
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| Ratchett |
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Joined: 06 08 2010 23:57
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
31 08 2010 21:22
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
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I work in intensive care, as I have since 1974. I work this as an agency nurse and regularly meet up with other agency nurses from the same era, still working in these areas, and I agree that there are more and more RNs of less than 5 years post-grad experience in areas that used to have regular 'long-term' nursing staff. Not a great sign for the future of nursing, so i guess we may need a complete change as to the future of nursing provision, in order for it to survive. Only a few nights ago I worked in a ward, where as I arrived at the ward, I was greeted by a very sad-looking group of sons of a man I'd looked after since months before. I asked how the father was, and was met with the disillusioned and disappointed tirade from the sons, as to how they were Australians (though born overseas) with a father they loved, and who loved Australia, yet who was being treated 'worse than an animal'. They were calm, non-aggressive, but mentioned 'legal action' as possibly the only option left to them. The main cause of much of the problem seemed to be a breakdown of communication, in the ever-faster way of health care, which pushed aside reality and compassion. Human life is becoming cheaper, so what is coming next? |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
31 08 2010 21:22
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 122
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I work in intensive care, as I have since 1974. I work this as an agency nurse and regularly meet up with other agency nurses from the same era, still working in these areas, and I agree that there are more and more RNs of less than 5 years post-grad experience in areas that used to have regular 'long-term' nursing staff. Not a great sign for the future of nursing, so i guess we may need a complete change as to the future of nursing provision, in order for it to survive. Only a few nights ago I worked in a ward, where as I arrived at the ward, I was greeted by a very sad-looking group of sons of a man I'd looked after since months before. I asked how the father was, and was met with the disillusioned and disappointed tirade from the sons, as to how they were Australians (though born overseas) with a father they loved, and who loved Australia, yet who was being treated 'worse than an animal'. They were calm, non-aggressive, but mentioned 'legal action' as possibly the only option left to them. The main cause of much of the problem seemed to be a breakdown of communication, in the ever-faster way of health care, which pushed aside reality and compassion. Human life is becoming cheaper, so what is coming next? |
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Subject :Re:The changing nursing workforce..
31 08 2010 21:22
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| Bernhard |
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Joined: 06 04 2010 10:19
Posts: 122
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I work in intensive care, as I have since 1974. I work this as an agency nurse and regularly meet up with other agency nurses from the same era, still working in these areas, and I agree that there are more and more RNs of less than 5 years post-grad experience in areas that used to have regular 'long-term' nursing staff. Not a great sign for the future of nursing, so i guess we may need a complete change as to the future of nursing provision, in order for it to survive. Only a few nights ago I worked in a ward, where as I arrived at the ward, I was greeted by a very sad-looking group of sons of a man I'd looked after since months before. I asked how the father was, and was met with the disillusioned and disappointed tirade from the sons, as to how they were Australians (though born overseas) with a father they loved, and who loved Australia, yet who was being treated 'worse than an animal'. They were calm, non-aggressive, but mentioned 'legal action' as possibly the only option left to them. The main cause of much of the problem seemed to be a breakdown of communication, in the ever-faster way of health care, which pushed aside reality and compassion. Human life is becoming cheaper, so what is coming next? |
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Subject :The changing nursing workforce..
31 08 2010 15:34
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| Krishna |
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Joined: 31 08 2010 17:20
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I have been nursing for 30 years and have noticed a shift in "life values" (I suppose) between the 70's-80's trained nurse and the upcoming young grads of today. This isn't a bad thing.
In the 80's we looked up to the Allan Bonds and the Christopher Skases for "how to make a quid." Well...really...where did that get us? We worked and worked, to pay for the pools, the Mcmansions, the OS travel, the gadgets. We commuted for up to two hours a day to work....are we insane?
Then the"new breed" came. The grads who go part-time after a year or two. The "life-stylers. And I take my hat off to them. Sure they want to travel, but they don't yearn for the stuff we did.
Where does that leave the nursing profession? With not many 3-6th year nurses working full-time. Have a look around your ward? How many are "babies" newly graduated, how many are in the middle group and how many of us "crusties' are on your staffing profile? Where are the 3rd-6th years??
If we look in to the future of the nursing workforce we have to understand what drives the newly graduated today. It is certainly not the heirarchical response of the past (do as I say.) They have the power to leave. And this will impact on our profession significantly within the next 10 years.
The change is happening. So, for example, when NSW health wants to trial "pattern rostering" like in Hunter-New england, why would a young person stay?
What is happening in the private sector? Or, more significantly, in aged care? The vitriol is alive and well with the "party' spin-doctors but let's see what really unfolds. A "Hung parliament" might actually be a good thing to shake up the two major parties. We'll "watch this space." |
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