Lorie Brown, Nurse Attorney, discusses the Top 5 Lessons Learned from RaDonda Vaught’s Situation. The lessons include how to protect your freedom and nursing license as well as insurance for nurses.
In a recent article of Becker’s Hospital Review, Cedars-Sinai apparently participated in a webinar hosted by Becker’s on the nursing shortage and how Cedars-Sinai is handling it.
I think the insights from the session were particularly good. During the online seminar, it was noted that the demand for health care is rising due to an aging population that is putting a strain on the health care system along with COVID-19. He added that, by 2023, there is expected to be a national nursing shortage of 1,000,000 nurses. He anticipates that average acute care nurse turnover rate to be 19% per year.
These statistics are astounding!
I started practicing nursing in 1982 while dinosaurs were roaming the earth; a time when every hospital had a nurse recruiter who always was, “hot on the trail,” to get you to join their hospital. I always thought it would be interesting to be a nurse recruiter.
Today, Cedars-Sinai believes that speed is everything in hiring. The faster one can recruit, the more likelihood the applicant nurse will say, “yes,” to joining your facility.
We live in an Amazon Prime type world where everyone wants things quicker and easier!
The reasons why nurses leave jobs are for career advancement (51%), a more flexible schedule or greater balance (42%), to reduce commute time or relocate (26%) and better compensation (21%).
To address these issues, Cedars-Sinai is investing in career development such as tuition assistance. In addition, they are creating a positive work environment which is so important for nurses in all facilities.
Though it would be great to make more money, some nurses are not necessarily motivated by extra cash. Working in a positive environment is so important.
When you go to a facility to work for 12 hours, it is important that you enjoy that work environment. Cedars-Sinai is exploring changing from the traditional 12-hour work shifts to the less stressful 8, 6 or even 4-hour shifts. I love this idea. A 4-hour shift can provide for a great break nurse.
Cedars-Sinai also is experimenting with placing nurses in the call center for 3 months as a break from bedside care. This sounds like a great alternative to decreasing burnout.
Of course, wages at Cedars-Sinai remain competitive and they offer sign-on bonuses plus annual retention bonuses.
It is about time that nurses are treated and rewarded for the hard work that we do. You cannot pay enough to many lay people to even consider entering a field such as nursing.
I encourage you to look at the linked article and watch the online seminar as I am sure you will find it to be of interest to you.
How about letting me know what your facilities are doing to remain competitive in attracting and hiring quality nurses?
Lorie Brown, Nurse Attorney, founder of Brown Law Office and Empowered Nurses, discusses the importance of being committed to your business in order for you and your business to become successful.
In December, 11 members of an interventional radiology and cardiovascular team at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah were offered new jobs at Ascension NE-St. Elizabeth Campus in Appleton, Wisconsin. In the group were 7 healthcare workers of which 4 were R.N.s and the others were radiology technicians. They were offered new jobs with better salary and benefits. [Click for Story]
ThedaCare filed a motion asking a court for a temporary restraining order and injunction to prevent the healthcare workers from transitioning to the other healthcare institution. It is shocking that ThedaCare would file such a motion.
Fortunately, the Judge in this matter denied that motion saying that there was not enough basis to prevent these employees from going forward. “ThedaCare has only itself to blame for failing to maintain a competitive working environment for its medical staff, opting instead to underpay the essential workers and even refusing to make a matching offer to these employees when given ample opportunity to do so.”
It is sad that nurses are becoming the pawns of these and similar actions. These nurses were not allowed to work until this matter was resolved.
Hospitals had better hunker down and figure out how to keep their nurses or nurses are going to continue to leave in droves. This may be the right time to revisit my Nurses Bill of Rights, a critical listing that I created years ago.
Nurses are not asking for more money, but they are asking for things that hospitals can do right now such as to allow nurses to speak their minds, have reasonable and fair assignments, pay more for higher acuity patients and, at the end of the day, leaving them to go home feeling like they have done a great day’s job, just to note a few.
Nurses get to choose where they want to work. Nurses are not slaves and should not be restricted from going to a competitor. This is a free market and nurses can decide where they want to work and under what conditions they find acceptable.
Click here if you would like your own personal copy of The Empowered Nurses’ Bill of Rights.
It is no surprise that if you have been to a gas station lately, the price for a gallon of gasoline has skyrocketed. Of course, you noticed that your groceries are also costing more.
According to the Social Security Administration, they gave all its recipients (70 million people) a record breaking 5.9% increase.
When I look at employment records for nurses, I noticed how small the raises were each year. It is no wonder that nurses are leaving the profession!
Regarding new tactics such as sign-on bonuses for new staff, why not pay more money to the existing loyal staff who have been there through it all? They know the policies and procedures of the health care facilities. It costs less to retain an experienced nurse than to hire a new nurse.
The average orientation for a new nurse to the facility costs anywhere from $37,000 to $58,000.
Every time a nurse leaves, it costs a facility more to train someone new. Let’s get this money to the nurses we already have with us. Treat them better! And pay them more!
If you have not received of raise of 5.9%, ask your coworkers and get together and share if their Social Security is getting raises for people who do not have other income, why shouldn’t the hospital raise your salary?
I’d like to hear your comments below.
Lorie Brown, Nurse Attorney, discusses why you can’t be a perfectionist and have a successful LNC Business. If you are interested in a one-on-one call with Lorie, please visit www.CallWithLNCMentor.com to schedule. If you are interested in one of Lorie’s LNC Retreats, please visit www.LNCRetreat.com.
Lorie Brown, RN, MN, JD, discusses the amount of stress that nurses are under and ways to relieve some of the stress in order to protect your nursing license. Lorie also talks about the importance of relieving stress and taking time for yourself so you can be there for your patients and not make mistakes. She also talks about different ways you can relieve stress.
Each year at this special time, I get to write my favorite blog which is on The Top 10 Blogs of the year we just put behind us. And 2021 was definitely one that we have been wanting to do away with for quite some time!
What I think is so interesting is what YOU are interested in.
NUMBER 10: “WHAT HAPPENED TO ‘NURSES DO NO HARM’?”
A nurse was charged with practicing medicine without a license after she asked a patient if he wanted to “let go” and, when he said yes, she unhooked his oxygen to allow him to peacefully die. She removed the oxygen without a physician’s order and now has criminal charges pending.
NUMBER 9: “RADONDA VAUGHT’S DAY IN COURT”
This blog dealt with RaDonda Vaught who made a medical error resulting in the death of a patient which culminated in her being charged criminally in the matter. This particular blog dealt with her hearing before the Nursing Board which resulted in revocation of her license. Her upcoming criminal trial scheduled for this March 21, 2022.
NUMBER 8: “CRIMINAL PROSECUTION HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS”
As in the Vaught matter noted in Number 9, we are seeing increasing numbers of nurses being charged criminally for mistakes made while doing their jobs. These are incidences of medical malpractice which of late are also being charged criminally. As we all know, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the criminal courts. Nurses certainly are no different.
NUMBER 7: “NURSING BOARDS DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS”
In the last few years leading up to 2021, we have been hearing more and more about how Nursing Boards are tending to be more aggressive in their disciplines and in their intimidation of nurses. With the COVID pandemic and the facilities increasingly becoming more short-staffed, the Boards should avoid such harsh affliction that could further reduce the number of those wanting to stay in nursing.
NUMBER 6: “BEWARE OF SIGN-ON BONUSES”
With staff-shortages during COVID, this blog discussed how hospitals are becoming so desperate in getting more qualified staff that they are offering huge bonuses to lure new employees while, at the same time, their existing staff are being overlooked for their loyalty and long-term hard work.
NUMBER 5: “SHOULD I STAY, SHOULD I GO?”
This article discussed whether nurses should stay or go based on the now legally challenged vaccination mandates. I always say that you can get another job but not another license.
NUMBER 4: “NURSING LICENSING SCAM”
Surprisingly, many unsuspecting nurses fell prey to a fraud during the past year where persons posing as Federal agents sent letters to nurses demanding their immediate payment of a bond in order to keep their licenses from being suspended. The letters, which looked quite official, however were a scam. No Nursing Board asks for money up front.
NUMBER 3: “PERSONAL SCRUBS vs. HOSPITAL SCRUBS”
Registered Nurse Cliff Wilming was fired from Alina hospital because he did not use personal scrubs during his medical work. He was concerned that if he wore his own scrubs, he could possibly infect his family during the COVID pandemic. Therefore, he chose to use the hospital’s scrubs that were cleaned in the facility. As the blog detailed, Wilming eventually got his job back.
NUMBER 2: “NURSE REFUSES COVID VACCINE”
Houston Methodist Hospital’s Jennifer Bridges, R.N., lost her job by refusing the COVID vaccine as had others from her facility. She challenged her termination but lost her suit when it was dismissed by the court. That mandate order since was stayed but not before Ms. Bridges found other employment with a private nursing company that had no vaccine mandate.
NUMBER 1: “THE RADONDA VAUGHT MATTER”
Many nurse readers seemed to be very curious about the RaDonda Vaught matter. As noted in Blog Number 9, the R.N. was charged criminally when she made a medical error resulting in the death of a patient. The criminal charges are still pending, and she is scheduled for trial on March 21, 2022, in Tennessee.
The Board originally determined to take no action against her license but later reversed and did take disciplinary action against her. After a hearing, the Tennessee Board voted unanimously to revoke her license and levy a $3,000 fine.
Ms. Vaught took responsibility for her actions and testified about the systems that failed at the hospital. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) felt the decision was unjust and that the Board was biased because the patient in this matter died.
They commented about the inability to differentiate between human error and reckless behavior. ISMP thought her behavior was human error and her license should not be revoked. They felt that the Board failed to consider significant contribution of system failures. ISMP felt that the Board’s decision was not in alignment with just culture and the Board should have been more focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment. The Board’s job is to protect the public rather than the nurse and, therefore, chose to revoke Ms. Vaught’s license.
Each year, I love reviewing the Top Ten Blogs and this past year was no different. As you know, I write one every week of the year which you should be receiving every Friday morning.
It is interesting to learn which of the 52 blogs for 2021 were the most noticed by you and your fellow nurses. The Vaught matter and COVID were, for sure, noticeably big topics for 2021.
I applaud you for what you do every day in caring for patients and doing your best during these difficult times.
What was your favorite blog in 2021? Was it any of those above or perhaps a different one? Let me know in the comments below.
This past summer, Medscape conducted a survey asking 10,700 LPNs, RNs, NPs, Nurse Midwives, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists about their career satisfaction.
Despite the challenges that nurses have been through this past year, a third of RNs and LPNs said that the most rewarding aspect of their work was making a difference through their helping people.
90% of all nurses said they were glad to have chosen nursing as their profession. However, if given the opportunity to start over, 70% said they would choose a career in the same field while a small percentage said they would choose a different area of nursing. A small minority (mostly LPNs) said that they planned to leave the nursing profession within the next 3 years.
This surveys’ results are different from other similarly targeting surveys regarding nursing satisfaction. Other surveys found nurses were more dissatisfied.
It was also surprising in the percentage of nurses up to 25% who reported that they had known a fellow health care provider who had died of COVID.
Other issues that were called out by the survey results included violence against health care providers. 1 in 5 LPNs and RNs who had reported being a victim of physical abuse usually from a patient while 40% of all nurses reported being a victim of verbal abuse, also mostly from patients.
It is sad that nurses need to endure this violence while simply doing their job.
While ailing patients can be expected at times to exhibit less than congenial behavior, their illness is no excuse for violent interactions as NO NURSE should be subjected to any type of abuse.
The most concerning statistic revealed was that a number of nurses 9-16% had experienced sexual abuse but did not report it. What happened to the “Me Too” movement? Those who do report sexual abuse said that the issue had not been resolved to their satisfaction. It is concerning that if a nurse does the right thing and reports something, that they are not satisfied with the result.
In a recent international study, it was noted that 43.15-83.5% of female nurses were sexually harassed. This is unacceptable. The nurses felt shame, embarrassment, humiliation and belittlement. The psychological consequences are devastating. Systems need to be put in place to protect these nurses, listen to them, believe them and support them. Nursing education needs to prepare nurses what to do if they find themselves in this type of situation.
As I have often noted, nurses are the hardest working professionals on the planet, and it is unfortunate that they have been subjected to these abuses.
Things will not change until the nursing profession speaks up. Nurses should not be expected to endure abuse. The only way to stop it is for nurses to speak up.
Speaking up for yourself and reporting these abuses at least will make you shed light on the problem and make it known. You are not alone.
I hated math when I was in school and, to be honest, I still don’t like to have to deal with it whether it’s balancing my checkbook or preparing a budget.
However, I will unashamedly say I do like making money because that means I get to help more people! As you know, that’s actually the whole reason to be in business for yourself; to make money to buy you the freedom that you can do what you want when you want.
Business comes down to simply being a giant math equation. So, let’s look at the numbers involved in keeping your business on an even keel.
There are a couple of variables that you need. The first is how much money do you want to make? The second variable is how much is the average client worth?
The third variable, what is your close rate? This means how many clients do you have to talk to before closing a sale? If you’re just starting, it probably about 10% which means that for every 10 people you talk to, 1 person says, “Yes” to your services.
Then, what you want to do is know how many clients you need to talk to.
So, we just to need to work the math backwards. Let’s say you want to make $100,000 with the average value of the client being worth say $10,000 and your close rate is 10%, it means that you would need 10 clients at $10,000 to make a $100,000.
Therefore, you will have to talk to 100 people to get 10 clients if you close at 10%. See, that’s simple. Even I can do this math!
So, when you’re thinking about planning for this year, just work backwards. How much money do you want to make, how much is the average cost of the client worth and then figure out how many clients you need to talk to to make the sale.
Then, you can even divide that by 12 which, as in the previous example, that you would need to speak with 8 or 9 people a month to get your 1 client a month to make your $100,000 a year.
When you think of business as a simple math equation and realize you need only 10 clients to make over a $100,000 as the average value of the client at $10,000, it makes it really easy.
What are your goals for 2022?
If I can support you in achieving your goals, I would be happy to talk.
Simply go to callwithlorie.com.
