Profession in Crisis - my perspective

When I left bedside after only three and half years it was because I made a choice. I chose less money for for a set, no-weekends, daytime schedule the clinic setting provided (could never seem to get a day off when I wanted it on the floor). I chose my mental sanity and moral integrity over the disrespect of leaders and administrators always demanding more and giving nothing but criticism and bullying. I chose my physical safety over patients and family who would scream, threaten, kick, punch, belittle, and attempt to intimidate me and my amazing team members. 

I made a choice. 

I by no means claim to be the first person to notice that the nursing profession was in and coming towards a greater crisis point when I joined it 7 years ago. However, while I was at the bedside, I did come to notice quickly that nursing (as a profession) was pushing good qualified experienced mentor level nurses out of the profession because they didn’t have degrees. I noticed this because I listened to my mentors. I wanted to understand their perspective, their thoughts, their experiences. And they were pissed, and they had every right to be. 

In the professions desperate attempt to be accepted as a “skilled professional field of study” on level with medicine - we threw the baby out with the bath water. Now accredition and recognition by nursing societies would be tied to how many bachelors degree nurses they had, then how many masters degree nurses, then even that was no longer enough. The profession placed this ultimatum on its diploma and associate degree staff - get a BSN or we don’t want you. No matter the stress or inconvenience or COST such education demands - a quote “real nurse” can hack any level of abuse and stress. No matter that you have 20 or 30 plus years of caring for patients - DOING THE WORK! - we want those extra letters after your name or your less than. (I am sure many leaders would say that’s an oversimplification. My retort is prove otherwise. Look at the mess we are in and tell me seriously you think the path we chose is right?)

Nursing arrived in the crisis it finds itself in almost completely by its own actions. Nursing is about identifying the current needs of my patient in the present but also anticipating what the future will bring. Now it’s time for nursing administrators, leaders, educaters, and recruiters to - like a good nurse - own their mistakes. Only by that first recognition can the profession begin the hard road of turning around the crisis it finds itself in. Leaders need to come up with a 1 year, 3 year, 5, and 10+ year plan on what its going to do to recruit new nurses to the profession and retain nurses. They then need to communicate that plan loudly and repeatedly. They need to partner with their communities and their state legislatures and nursing organizations to build a system that will ADEQUATELY SAFELY RIGHTLY staff all units everywhere with qualified skilled nurses.

(ADNs please apply!)

Anything less is a waste of time. 

I’m Jenny Cavanaugh and that’s my perspective.