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No One to Watch Over Me

The article linked at the bottom of this blog should only concern you if you have a human body that might one day require hospitalization to recover from illness or injury or need support if there is no longer hope of recovery...which is basically anyone reading this.
One remarkable thing about this article is that since it was on a nursing website, it will most likely only be read by nurses which means its basically preaching to the converted.  So  I think it should be dragged out for some non nurse intellectuals to ponder.
The second remarkable thing  is that it makes me know that I'm not alone.  I'm a nurse who has watched the level of patient care in hospitals steadily decline since I got my first job in a hospital as a nursing assistant in 1982, while still in college .  That's why I, like many many of my colleagues, have left hospital work. When I read this article, it reminded me that the reason I dread the thought of ever going back to hospital ER/Trauma nursing is because I have morals and standards. I'm a nurse. Healing, caring, teaching,curing is our business, not profits.  And it really doesn't have to cost a lot to keep a population well.  They just want it to cost a lot.  How else would big pharma and insurance companies, hospital execs get rich?
I once had a nurse manager tell me that the executives at the hospital we worked for actually respected the Ladies Auxillary Volunteers more than the nurses because the former raised money for the hospital-they were a credit, whereas the nurses used resources and with their salaries and benefits cost the hospital money-a debit!!  Never mind that the resources the nurses use are to care for sick injured and disabled people and the entire purpose of a hospital is to care for sick injured and disabled people!!!  HELLO, is anyone listening?  We don't think they are.   That's why we're leaving.  That's why I called this blog entry "No one to watch over me"  cause that's basically whats going to happen when you should be unfortunate enough to have to be hospitalized.(honestly, for me, at this point the way I see it, its scarier than just dying outright!)
It's a business now.  The business of caring.  Yeah .Sure. 
Don't listen.  Just read:

.http://nursing.advanceweb.com/editorial/content/editorial.aspx?cc=114327


Comments (2)

avatar

Thanks for the links and info.

avatar

Thanks, I've been in this for 31 years and the burnout is killing me.
I have OSA, DM and 2 different skin diseases that are stress induced. Oh, and after losing 55 pounds 11 years ago to get back to a healthy weight, I have gained back 50 and am unable to follow an ADA diet on any 12 hour shift, let alone have the energy to exercise enough to make a difference.

I've tried two jobs outside the hospital setting that actually offered salaries comparable to working nights, weekends & overtime. Problem was I ended up working 60 to 70 hours a week for the salary.

I knew I wasn't alone, at least now my family might start to believe me about how bad it is getting.

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