Nurses threaten with mass resignations

[allan]

Well 124,000 nurses at 500 euros extra a month is, assuming 2.5 million net tax payers earning an average of 2400 a month is a 1% increase in tax (very simplified l know) . Then ofcourse lets not forget teachers, policemen, cleaners, librarians.......how much more tax do we want to pay?

I wonder if the nurses would be better negociating there pay individually with hospitals. That was nurses in areas of shortage would earn more and nurse in areas of suplus would earn less (encouraging nurses to train/retrain in those areas)

[otyikondo]

It's already turning nasty.

"Miten käy pienten potilaiden?" says Iltis



(when it can pull its nose away from the seamy secrets of the Tikitalk man)

and Iltalehti positively screams out that those evil nurses are baby-killers: "Älkää jättäkö lapsia hoitamatta!"



Which kind of makes one wonder if this isn't being turned into something like this:



A sign that I never found very appealing, even when I had young children, since it seemed like the ultimate affront that I would suddenly take more care just because they had a screaming no-neck-monster rug-rat in the back seat, and that without that sign I'd have been consumed with road-hoggery and would have yanked off their wing-mirror with my bare hands as a trophy as I overtook them and viciously steered them into the nearest ditch.

The gloves are clearly off. I hope the nurses know a few good Thai boxing moves.

[Hank W.]

Oh, but notice; they're already starting to follow Paavo's edict of "exporting the problem" ...

[sinikala]

A sign that I never found very appealing, even when I had young children, since it seemed like the ultimate affront that I would suddenly take more care just because they had a screaming no-neck-monster rug-rat in the back seat, and that without that sign I'd have been consumed with road-hoggery and would have yanked off their wing-mirror with my bare hands as a trophy as I overtook them and viciously steered them into the nearest ditch.

The above sign is aimed at the emergency services, not at other drivers. In the case of an accident, should the driver be incapacitated or unconcious then the rescuers will know that there is another, small occupant in the vehicle, who might otherwise be missed.

Like you, the users of such signs seldom understand the point of it, and that they should take the sign down when the baby is not in the car.

Carry on.

[otyikondo]

Sinikala, I must admit you stopped me dead in my tracks for a second or two with that very germane comment, which to my shame I had not properly considered. However... I am clearly not alone in not having considered it, as this website selling the things might indicate.

http://kidssafetyzone.com/product_info. ... 2c082bb390

My eyes are inexorably drawn to the words

Attach this sign to your car window to remind others to drive safely.

As if this were not enough, another vendor of the things

http://www.safeandsecurebaby.com/Baby-O ... r-235.html

reinforces that message to "others"

Attach the Baby On Board sign by Safety 1st to your car window to remind others to drive safely.

So it's not really surprising I and "others" take it the way we do.

Maybe they saw this...

http://www.answers.com/topic/baby-on-board

Even if your suggestion makes much better sense.

Now back to the nurses.

[Rob A.]

The above sign is aimed at the emergency services, not at other drivers. In the case of an accident, should the driver be incapacitated or unconcious then the rescuers will know that there is another, small occupant in the vehicle, who might otherwise be missed.

Like you, the users of such signs seldom understand the point of it, and that they should take the sign down when the baby is not in the car.

Carry on.

Yes...that has been my understanding. But, of course, we humans always manage to screw up the good ideas...I would say it isn't a very reliable indicator of much any more... Maybe that a baby had at some point been inside that particular vehicle...

I think most of us don't realize how easy it is for victims of car accidents, whether adults or children, not be found until sometime later... An accident here a couple years ago on a high bridge involved an apparently "empty" car...well, actually not rocket science, I guess ...they found the guy several hundred feet below, I think it was on the river bank... Hey, I'm sure it's happened many times...another good reason to wear your seat belt...

[Sara]

Im really not looking forward to this mess. Im due to give birth at Jorvi in Nov, so I hope the little one comes in time or early as they are going to shut Jorvi if they all quit

[Karhunkoski]

I wonder if the nurses would be better negociating there pay individually with hospitals.

You clearly don't understand Finns Allan But seriously, this has been suggested before, the problem is the envy-mentality which would create conflict and bad feeling between employees in the workplace.

[Amandine.K]

It's clearly ridiculous to assume that people in need of critical care won't receive it. Especially for children like Amos, the staff in K10 is far too passionate about their job to compromise the care of children depending on it for survival (K10 is a one-of-a-kind unit in Finland, so they wouldn't be able to shut down the unit).

Same for birth, of course they won't let you go into labour by yourself, endangering the baby and you. Let's try to be realistic here. If we go on strike it will cause disturbances, but it can't affect critical care. I can't imagine units such as NICU without nurses. It is always full of preemies that requires round-the-clock care. Ratio is about 3 babies per nurse. It's very demanding and hard as if one is in critical condition you struggled to cope with the 3. But if nurses were leaving, these babies will have no chance. And I clearly don't see that happening.

So yeah they create outrageous headline, trying to make nurses as evil people. I read comments here about the fact that we shouldn't get a pay rise to compete with doctors. This is not our point. We work very hard to ensure the best care possible, often at the detriment of our own health. Nurses are tired, we work under constant pressure to be more efficient with less money. Ask yourself, would you spend your life caring for others? It's not something everybody could do. I don't see why we should be paid so little when without us it is clear that hospitals wouldn't be able to provide care. Stop thinking we are below doctors, our job is different. They diagnose, they prescribe, we apply their orders but we also have a hell of a lot responsibility and decision power when it comes to patient care.

Anyway rant over...

[Sara]

Well if my baby comes late, I dont know where Im going to end up. Ive been to Jorvi plenty of times as I needed extra scans. Ive had my tour and Im happy and relaxed and looking forward to giving birth there.

Baby comes one week late and Im buggered. I dont know where Im going to end up. I dont know what the facilities are like, I dont know what to expect and its stressing me. And the place is likely to be under more pressure as they will likely have to take on the extra workload from Jorvi. I wont be the only pregnant woman in the situation, now worried about how things are going to work for them.

Of course the nurses deserve a pay increase, I dont think anyone has said otherwise. But at the same time they need to be realistic, they want a large amount and it doesnt come out of thin air. Nursing is hard work, but to be honest they way they are going about it now is just like a toddler having a huge tantrum.

They are resigning. Thats going to create a long term mess.

[Amandine.K]

I dont know much about Jorvi but if that can somehow comfort you Kätilöoppisto and NaistenKlinikka are very good.

The thing is it's not a toddler tantrum. I started my nursing studies 3 years and a half ago and already nurses were complaining about the fact that their salaries hadn't been reviewed in years. It is portrayed as us sudenly wanting more but it's been going on for years, except that this time we had been promised a pay rise. I guess we'll see in a few weeks but I doubt that the whole 13000 nurses will resign, giving that it took them a few years to get a permanent contract! It' so much easier to put your name on a petition rather than actully do it.

[allan]

I wonder if the nurses would be better negociating there pay individually with hospitals.

You clearly don't understand Finns Allan But seriously, this has been suggested before, the problem is the envy-mentality which would create conflict and bad feeling between employees in the workplace.

This is were the whole pay system for most public sector workers is screwed up. A nurse in a unpopular specialisation living in Helsinki gets the same money as a nurse in an popular proffession living in nowheremaki. Were's the incentive to work in unpopular specialisations or areas. As long as nurses want complete equality across the country and specialistion then they will always be poorly paid and we will always have a shortage in some areas because with the other option avaiable who would choose to wipe old peoples bums.

[EP]

except that this time we had been promised a pay rise

Yes, and the employer offered 12 %, but TEHY wants it double. Many nurses think that 12 % was good enough for the time being, and 24 % is being greedy. How come I get a feeling that it is this Laitinen-Pesola woman who wants a shining armour without thinking of consequences.

For example nurses often live in an apartment offered by the hospital. And now she wants these people to give up their homes?

[sinikettu]

Here is the latest English edition of the Hesa.
Sick Kids will be the worst effected.
The worst situation would be in paediatrics.
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Loomin ... 5231124981

[Amandine.K]

I then stand corected, I would have thought that Pediatrics would have been the less affected specialties.

I'm supposed to get in touch with one of the head nurse there to arrange the publication of my thesis