Here is a question-
What makes or breaks a hospital stay for you or your family members?
Guess what it is for me-
it is the nurse.
If I have good nurses the experience is easier and less stressful. If I have bad nurses it is harder and leaves me with a negative feeling about the whole situation.
The MD is in and out quickly, writing the orders and giving the plan update.
The nurse implements the plan.
The Doc says you can get up and walk with help.
Well, you are only going to actually get up and walk with help when the nurse finds the time.
The Doc says you can have a certain pain medication regiman.
Well, you are only going to get those pills at the right time if the nurse is on top of things and gets them to you on time.
The Doc says you can go home.
Well, you will only go home when the nurse finds the time to get the discharge papers together.
If you have a good nurse you will not care as much if your food was gross
Or the room was small.
If you have a bad nurse the food will be grosser
and the room will feel smaller.
I am thankful today that I am not in a union position and that I am not going to have to decide whether or not to strike.
I could say a lot more about the nursing profession, and a lot more about my thoughts on the matter- but there are too many and it would take too long.
So my question for you today-
Should nurses be allowed to strike? Or is it against some sort of "healthcare" or "moral" code for them to walk off the job?
5 comments:
From a patient's perspective, I want the best care possible and striking nurses would not necessarily be it. I do agree that the nurses can really impact your stay (thinking of the last time I gave birth and hated one nurse and loved the other). From the perspective of a daughter of a nurse, I'd hate to see nurses robbed of the ability to really have some power when it comes to their work environment. So I guess...I have no clear answer for you.
I don't really like it...but from what I have heard it is for good reasons that will affect patients, etc. I hope that the nurses get what they are asking for- we pay alot for health care...some of that money should be going to the nurses, etc
disclaimer: i don't actually have a problem with nurses striking (except if they are striking their patients).
statement: i've found myself thinking that it seems like a lot of people want to do as little as possible and get as much as possible. i'm not okay with this. I'm not advocating working nurses to the bone, but I also contemplate being okay with less and still doing a great job. now, when healthcare reform is on the docket and many people (my physical therapy classmates, for example) champion affordable (or even free) healthcare for everyone--it sounds great! But it causes me to wonder--are these same people willing to work for less money? Because nothing is truly free (except God's grace). I think that if more people were willing to do a really good job at their jobs, and get paid less, maybe we'd solve some problems. Kinda Utopian, huh? I dunno, I just feel like nothing's gonna be solved by demanding more 'rights' and leaving more subtle, heart issues unchanged.
conclusion: should striking be allowed? sure. why not? do I think it gives answers or solves problems? not really.
Is it immoral for nurses to srike? I doubt it. Is it wise given the present economy? Again, I doubt it.
good comments-
I always tell Noah that I think nurses make enough money, I just think that a lot of other professions pay people too much!
If the current strike situation was just about money I would say forget it. We don't need to quibble about pay increases...but there is so much more at stake...
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