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I LOVE NURSING AND CARING FOR PATIENTS, But these days and many before, it has seemed more like----

Do WE Really all need to be FEMBOTS  (LMAO...Bionic woman reference and wouldn't they just be great little lemmings {bet many of you don't even know what a lemming is} or followers doing whatever they say NO matter the risk to patient safety) and just be robots following commands, NEVER questioning or REFUSING to tolerate certain by-the-seat-of-your-pants changes in protocol.

BUT, In many situations it is frequently becoming more and more dangerous!!!!

I count myself blessed and rewarded when many patients Thank me and Bless me for the care that I have provided. The JOY I feel when caring for patients who are just courteous and appreciative, WOW. Even those who cannot express their feelings, you can often see to their comfort and cleanliness......

BUT!!!!! MORE OFTEN than NOT.....

Accepting abusive behavior is expected and there is no penalty for the constant abuse of these patients and often families. It happens everyday. Verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis. Yelling, screaming curses, constant swings and attempts at biting and being kicked or shoved. Charges should be brought on such actions. Right from wrong... Drunk, sober, or in crisis...The difference is known. But it's all okay and just behavior on the wrong levels and to the wrong people (charges should be brought against those that abuse you).

Besides all of the danger and risk to nurses, patients can be at risk when there is NO standard of care.

There HAS to be POLICIES in place regarding the care of:

1) Nursing:Patient Ratios for ICU and More CRITICAL Care patients, even in the ER. (1:2 is the standard for most ICU's unless it is a one-to-one patient)

2) Nursing:Patient Ratios for less critical patients (by many studies the best ratio for floor patient's is 1:4)

Please READ my Friends...I CARE

What Nursing Can Mean--New Followers Re-post

Political Possibilities

POLITICAL POSSIBILITIES

Everyday in the practice of Nursing, I see RISKS. Nurses across the country work in precarious situations, not only a danger to patient safety, but to their licenses and livelihood. These situations occur due to staffing issues and patient acuity. The population is aging and health is deteriorating for many of these individuals. The responsibilities of nurses are increasing everyday and the higher acuities make it worse and more dangerous for nurses to provide even adequate care.

The nursing shortage is already at dangerous levels and is only going to increase. The changes are not occurring rapidly enough and they are rarely directed in the right paths.

I propose and hope to see in my lifetime these changes and I am HOPING that you will HELP me.

A federally funded nursing retirement plan: This could not only improve the influx of people into the profession, but also be a great benefit to nurse retention, especially if it includes past service and years of experience. This could bring nurses back to the bedside; if they were assured of having a dedicated plan for the years of service (Nurses who have left the profession after i.e. 12 years of service come back for eight years and have a full retirement). AARP recently noted that less than 60% of nurses have retirement plans. This federal plan would be portable from job to job. Facilities could enhance retirement benefits or provide other inducements to the profession with the funds currently in use. IF railroad employees, teachers, firefighters, and police officers can have full retirement after 20 years, WHY have nurses been left out? The nurses I have presented this idea to most frequently ask me that question. WHY is this idea not already in practice?

Increased political awareness and interest for nurses. Facilities should have a dedicated position related to nursing politics. I have talked to many coworkers and they agree that knowing more about how their local, state, and federal politicians vote on issues regarding nursing would affect not only their voting participation but how and who they voted for. (i.e. IF you believe patients and families have a right to know what SAFE staffing ratios are and how those ratios affect patient safety and care, in addition to how the facility they are currently admitted to staffs their floors, then a politician votes against a bill that promotes these issues, Would you vote for that politician??).

An agency that monitors the dangers and RISKS that nurses are often subjected to: to have written protocols and standards of what constitutes patient safety in relation to acuity and ratios. (i.e. What constitutes a 1:1 patient, a 2:1 patient, a 4:1 patient???). One that monitors how often those standards are not met and why. How to make it better to keep nurses at the bedside.

National Nursing Licensure

Better Health Care Coverage—since we provide so much of it, it should be a reward.

So much more, these are only a few of the issues I would like to see instituted and implemented and truly believe it will affect the future of nursing. So many agencies and groups protect patient safety and there are no real protectors of nurses and their work conditions. Such an agency will only enhance patient safety. The CAN (Center for American Nurses, part of the ANA) is a start, but so far, no one is really affecting change in workforce conditions, thus the NURSING SHORTAGE.