Strange Tony,
I read the saddest story of a nurse taking her life and the note she'd written months before she committed suicide. Tristin Kate Smith, a 28 year old emergency room nurse in Ohio, wrote:
"Each day, you ask me to do more with less."
Smith’s letter also referenced that many nurses feel that hospital administrators are taking advantage of them.
"You are a narcissist," she wrote. "You use and exploit us to line your pockets, using the common citizen’s money for overpriced health care."
Substitute Regional Vice Presidents for hospital administrators and this could well be our hospice over the last decade.
Ten years ago our hospice was a public company and employees could buy stock, could actually own a stake. That changed with buyout after buyout, the last two by financial rapscallions (the narcissists cited above).
Our nurses have been used and exploited to line their pockets. As have other staff. That much is crystal clear.
Day after day Gentiva/Kindred/Gentiva robbed staff of fair pay for hours worked and reasonable reimbursement for miles driven. Year after year the company prioritized profits over patient care and humane treatment of employees. Human Resources turned strategic and became the Human Abuse Department. Compliance pretends to care but raising concerns usually boomerangs into increased levels of abuse, often coached by HR.
I hope any nurse or healthcare worker in a dark place finds support. I encourage healthcare workers to be attentive to anyone struggling. Listening is an important first step.
I am grateful to the many coworkers who listened when challenges arose. None were managers.
Anonymous
