To Hell in a Handbasket

Went out with the princess for our once a week "sanity returns" night. She and I both know without these nights on a fairly regular basis, we would not survive this world.
I told her that I had blogged about EN's plight, and our conversation from there inspired another blog subject, related very closely.
Why do we exhibit integrity in our chosen fields?
It surely isn't because our top administration demonstrates the same on a regular basis.....How many times have you found out about a life altering change in your work status that you KNOW will not work well, LONG AFTER it has already been implemented? One of my favorite comments is, "but they didn't Aks me....", (not a typo). They don't AKS you because the decision was not based on evidence of it's efficacy in solving the problem, it is based on cost savings! ALWAYS. Then, they lie to you about why and how and where, etc, usually beginning the pep rally with "We are SO excited about.....".
These are educated people, mind you, some up to doctorate level. Doctorate level in management, I mean. Supposedly smart people....supposedly VERY smart people. To do my job requires a college degree. So, I am supposedly ALSO a reasonably smart person. I have had some of the psychology classes that they have also attended. I also add to my bag some very important life experience of a personal nature and some even more important experience in the observation of human nature, as we are all different in how we react to any given situation. It is all a matter of perception. The people who DON'T have a college education in my workplace, bring to the table those same OJT experiences that are so very valuable to make the wheels turn at the proper RPM.
Do the "powers that be" ( No caps, you see.), not get that? Obviously not.
Do they also value loyalty in the workplace? Not if it is going to cost them money, or rock their very leaky boats. I work in a "right to work" state, which means I don't have to be part of a union to have a job. But, it also means I don't have anyone to back me up if "they" should decide to fire me, for whatever trumped up reason they choose. And believe me, there are enough snakey people out there who will go to the bosses with just enough truth about any given situation to make them listen. They can, and do, then implement processes to get rid of you based on those minimal truths, without allowing the whole truth to come out, BECAUSE THEY CAN. The snakey people love this, because they think it endears them to the bosses, and it gives them a false sense of power. And some bosses will use these people just like police use a confidential informant, just by dropping hints about what kind of information they would like to elicit. Paranoid? Before you decide this, think back on your own work experiences, and ask yourself if you truely have never seen this method at work.
Think about these examples of their tangible recognition of your loyalty.....Bonuses......holiday parties.....truely individual raises based on performance rather than your "fair" share of the pie once a year.
There is a saying that one AW SH** wipes out a whole lot of attaboys. This is even more true when complete perfection is the only standard, but is used on a situational basis....someone raised sand, and someone has to pay. The sand usually raised by someone who is just venting their overblown egos.
This is all in reference to a business that requires the best you can manage to get, because people's lives are at stake! HOW, I ask you, can we afford to apply the same stupid business tactics and "standards" that office supply stores and lawn care companies can?
Why should we have integrity? Why should we have loyalty? Because we have to look ourselves in the mirror the next day. AND because the people who depend on us to have those things, DEPEND on us to have those things!
When I was growing up, I had a friend who was not the brightest bulb in the box. We had a conversation about a character who lived in our area. He would dress all in black, Bat Masterson-style and just walk the roads all day. Same costume every season, same walk. My friend had also had conversations with this guy, and told me that this guy had multiple college degrees, but was really weird. No job, no goals, no interest in the rest of the world. My friend's comment was, "that book learnin will make you crazy!" I just smiled, and wrote it off to his level of intelligence, rationalizing his lack of education. Now, in hindsight, I'm not so sure. Maybe his bulb wasn't as dim as I had originally thought.

Verdict?

I haven't blogged for some time now. Won't go through the list of my rationalizations as to why....
Want some feedback.
Hypothetical situation here......
You have a nurse with 24+ years of experience. This nurse regularly receives accolades from her higher-ups regarding her competency, commitment to her coworkers, willingness to adapt to new situations, and to assist her coworkers to do the same, etc, etc.
Now, the situation she and her coworkers are in has changed drastically. 80% new staff, babies just out of school. Have passed their boards, but still deer in the headlights looks on their faces most of the time. Licenses don't confer knowledge or experience.
They have moved the "unit" to a new location, a former critical care unit. Nicer in many ways, staff are able to see all patients from the desk, there are "hard" monitors....screens in both each room and on the desk, so that heart rhythms, bp, O2 sat, respiratory rate, and if necessary, other readings can be viewed quickly, or reviewed. The plan is to have the critical care unit nurses help with the transition, to teach them what they need to know to care for more critically ill patients. Not "unit" patients, but patients with more problems than they have been used to. Most are willing to do so, but they come with the attitude that it is beneath them to have to do so. Some are outright hostile about the situation, and while they would never allow a patient to be injured, they only help when specifically asked.
The powers that be, in their infinite wisdom, begin sending patients to the unit with things they have never seen before, even the experienced nurses. The word along the grapevine is that the department head was asked about the wisdom of sending those patients to their unit, and her reply was "They can handle it" Word is also that she asked the person transferring those patients to us to give them an inservice as to how to care for these patients. By the time the nightshift arrives, the translation has dwindled to "if this alarm goes off, you push this button to reset it". Hmmmm.
Fast forward, now. The experienced nurse is working with 2 brand spanking new nurses, the night has been a "hand you your butt" night. 8 patients, 2 getting blood, which is an involved process, especially with 2 nurses that have never hung blood before, and these 2 patients are on the opposite sides of the unit. This kind of night is disaster waiting to happen under the best of circumstances, and of course, the conditions are, shall we say, less than optimal. So, the experienced nurse is responsible for 8 patients, 2 very scared and stressed new nurses, all the BS busy work jobs they have decided are essential to the running of the unit. Most which should be done by a tech, which again, in the higher up's infinite wisdom, they have decided they don't need.
So, all survive the shift, all are still breathing. The babies are giving report to the day shift which consist of one more nurse than the night shift had, and unit secretary, TWO techs, and the doctors are roaming around, seeing their morning round patients.
Over the loudspeaker, they hear "CODE BLUE 2E, CODE BLUE 2E"......they all sympathize with their coworkers who are dealing with a terrible situation at the worst possible time, shift change.
Not 1 minute later they hear "CAT TEAM 4E, CAT TEAM 4E" Different animal, same responders. The babies are done with patient care, there are at least 6 people in the room besides the experienced night shift nurse who can handle any emergency that can arise, and the unit that has had the CAT call is right outside the door. EN turns to one of the techs and says," They aren't going to get any help, lets go see if they need us." They go out the door, to the room. It is a patient that has stroked, but vitals are stable. Nothing to do except move the patient to the unit for stroke protocol. As EN turns to leave, a member of the stroke team arrives, and the tech and she go back to the unit they came from. Report continues to its completion, and all concerned on the night shift eventually go home.
At some point later , EN is called to the "office" with a list of her infractions, a few which she has to bite the bullet and say, "yes, I screwed up, I am an imperfect human." Some of THESE entailed only being able to be in one place at a time, some entailed not knowing what one of the babies did or did not know because she hadn't trained them, and they don't ask questions, and reject any help that is offered. But this situation is on the list under the heading of "Leaving the new nurses in her care unattended to attend a CAT call when she was not part of the CAT team".....huh? On top of this paper with her crimes, is a counseling sheet with areas for her to explain herself, that will undoubtedly go in her personel record.
Now, I would like for some of you to let me know what her punishment should be.
P.S. The hospital concerned frequently vows to do whatever it takes to improve retention of staff.