Well, I have posted the first four weeks of our new electronic roster at work! The fall-out is growing daily, mumblings in the sluice room, notes left for me pinned on the staff board etc., etc., I can't say that they didn't have adequate warning ahead of time, and yes, there are elements of the new system I don't agree with either, but nothing can be expected to slot right in there from the outset, we're bound to have a few teething problems. This does NOT mean I will be changing ANY aspect of the rosters that have already been printed and authorised by "the powers that be", I won't, we're in nursing and nursing by nature means working unsocial hours, and shifts or has EVERYONE forgotten? It seems they have and would rather slot work in around their social lives, than their social lives be arranged around work commitments. And there's the key word, COMMITMENT! Nursing is and never has been one of those jobs where you go in, do your work and go out again as soon as the whistle blows. By its very nature there has to be some, in fact a lot of commitment to your care giving. I think a few of our number probably need reminding what our job is actually about.............PEOPLE, and their care for however long is in our hands.
Sermon aside, true the electronic roster has lost the human touch, i.e. me, on reflection I think I have been too flexible with staff requests/demands and this inevitably will come as a rude awakening, but they will just have to get used to it, or do the other thing I am afraid, this seems to be the way forward and whether we like it or not, we're all in it together. I have had some very caustic comments, naturally not to my face, silly little notes left, written additions to my notices, and yes Mr Arrogant will see just what a fool he has made of himself, as in actual fact his roster hasn't changed that much at all. Advanced panic and griping just revealed his true colours and utter selfishness, and so it continues. I will not rise, and have not commented, life really is too short.
Speaking of life, my breast screening appointment has at last come through, it is to be next Monday, luckily I have the day off, I would not have wanted to be already stressed out on a shift and have to attend midway through it.
Also, my dear mother-in-law, 90 this month, Italian, is admitting she can no longer cope. She has been stubbornly independent for so long, but just this last week deterioration has been evident to all of us. N's sister luckily has been able to come over and stay with her and I called the Dr out last week too. He has done some routine tests, but actually there is nothing medically wrong, she is just very old and very tired and needs looking after now. We are all going in on a daily basis, but have been anyway, she was just hiding the fact that things were getting bad. I am sure she is dehydrated and also hasn't been eating properly, but we have only been able to go by what she tells us, you can't go in all guns blazing calling her a liar after all. Last week N and I made her a bedroom downstairs and I made sure she was able to get herself into bed. Luckily she has a toilet downstairs and at the moment is still able to get about, albeit slowly with her zimmer frame, what a blessing that has been. So we are taking each day as it comes, and of course no one is really talking about the inevitable, well not in so many words, but we will all support each other.
2007-07-02 @ 11:01