Have you ever heard grandparents telling the story of
how they walked to school in sub freezing temperatures, and 3 feet of
snow? Okay, they may be exaggerating, but if a nurse that practiced in a hospital more than 50 years
ago begins to tell you her stories, listen closely. You will not only find their stories
interesting, you will be thankful you live and work in these times.
1965
Nurses
Jane was a nurse that got her license in 1964, and went
to work in a very large hospital. Pay
attention as she describes what it was like then, you'll be thankful you work
in these times. Jane said on her first
day there, a doctor yelled at her and mumbled stupid nurses under his
breath. Jane immediately went to her
supervisor, only to be told doctors are just like that, ignore them. Jane said that on one occasion a coworker
wore pants, which were white uniform pants, it was very cold outside and the
nurse had to walk to work. The nurse was
terminated for not wearing the usual nursing dress uniform with white hose, it
simply was not acceptable to wear anything but a dress if you were a female
nurse. Jane went on to discuss the
conditions for nurses, with what would be considered harassment by today's
standards, yet at that time it was considered part of being a working woman.
Improving
Standards
As time progressed, and unions, along with nursing
associations developed,
conditions began to improve greatly. Nurses slowly began to gain the respect they
deserved, and today harassment is not tolerated, and yes, pants are worn, in
fact most of the time. Nurses now are
generally treated with respect, which they very much deserved. Most hospitals work continuously to do what
they can to obtain and retain good nurses. Longer shifts but with a shorter work week is offered to most nurses
along with other incentives to make their job more appealing.
How
to Advocate for Yourself When Needed
When you feel that you have been wronged, it's natural
that you want to speak up for yourself. There is however a proper way to express a need or to file a
complaint. First and foremost, do not
advocate for yourself when you are angry, or in the heat of the moment there
has you upset. Once you have calmed
down from the situation, give it some thought, are you justified in speaking
up, were you actually treated wrong, or disrespectfully. If in fact it is a complaint or concern that
should be made, make an appointment with the appropriate person, and do not
discuss it with anyone until after you meet with someone that can assist. Be reasonable, however express your concerns,
and your reason for bringing attention to it. Depending on the severity of the situation, you may want to ask when it will
be resolved, or set forth a deadline yourself, indicating you assume it will be
taken care of quickly. Follow up as
needed to ensure your voice was heard, and make sure your concerns are valid
and reasonable.
Advocating
as a Group
In the event of a group complaint, have each nurse
write down their concern, then select one person to compile a letter for the
group. Submit the letter to the
appropriate person, and follow up by scheduling a meeting time to meet and
discuss the problem in person. One
person can be a designated spokesperson for the group, or multiple people could
attend the meeting, however no more than 3. A large group can be more counterproductive, while an individual or
small group can accomplish more.
As a nurse, it is assumed you have job security, as
there is a shortage of nurses. It is
your right to speak up and advocate for yourself or for the nursing profession
in general. If no one nurse had ever
spoken up and been a self and group advocate, you might just be wearing a dress
and those awful white stockings.Those
who advocate for themselves, or a cause, have much greater success in both
their personal and professional lives.
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