Registered Nurses Working Scared Letter Of The Week: From Jan. 25, 1997

Today was scary for many nurses at Sacred Heart. We used words like “picketing” and “strike.” Over the years, we’ve bargained for benefits equal to those of other nurses at other major medical centers, but this year is different.

We’re frightened because we come to work too understaffed to adequately care for our patients. We’re mad because nobody listens. We’re lucky if nothing bad happens or we catch the change in the patient so nothing worse happens. We’re expected to do it shift after shift. We punch out with a sigh of relief.

We’re insulted because we’re refused input on staffing guidelines, supposedly because we can’t understand the budgetary issues. Excuse me? It’s hard to believe that the few who make up these guidelines have more knowledge than the combined knowledge of the hundreds of college-educated men and women who own homes, pay bills and care for patients every day.

We’re asked to do more and more, every day, with less and less. Licensed staff are being replaced by aides.

Medical care is expensive. Did you pay for and expect the expertise of a registered nurse or an aide?

With advances in medicine, things have changed. Patients who once recuperated in the hospital now recuperate at home. Patients once sent to intensive care units now go to nursing units. Patients who go to intensive care today would have gone to heaven 20 years ago.

All these great advances wouldn’t mean a thing without diligent around-the-clock care from registered nurses. We know this, our patients know this, most of the doctors admit this and Sister Peter Claver knew this. How come this administration doesn’t know?

I’m scared. Linda M. Conger, R.N. C.R.N.I. Newman Lake

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