Why thousands of nurses in NYC are striking | Nightline

[@lucylucy2171]

As a CNA, that is why I left. You work 8 to 12 hrs, with no help, needy, sick and challenging patients and 7 to 12 patients all by yourself that need baths, feedings, changing, room cleaning and so forth. Lack of staffing is affecting everyone in those fields

[@cuprunnethover2509]

Thank you for all that you did do! You all help us nurses so much! I appreciate you all very much! I was an assistant too before I was a nurse. I understand! You all have a hard job to do!

[@davidxavi1848]

CNA's have made the RN nursing job so much easier. I see RN's all the time tell the CNA to go bathe the patient and then just sit on TikTok for the next 30 minutes

[@tmm6884]

Isn't that because you're a certified nurse assistant?

[@annat6249]

Epidemic cause a lot of stress with medical staff and cause staff shortages but isn’t what the profession promise? To promise to heal. Even if government and employers want hire more staff, trained medical staff are not fall from sky. I don’t want any uncertified medical staff to treat me.

[@davidxavi1848]

@@tmm6884 These are all things RN's used to do so now their jobs are just easier and they do nothing, yet complain about how they want less to do.

[@tiffanyi5645]

I’m only 2 minutes in….GIVE THESE NURSES WHAT THEY WANT!!! When I was hospitalized for 2 months due to Preterm Labor, the only thing that kept me sane were the Labor and Delivery nurses. They are the ones who cared for me and spent the most time with me. And when the baby came, they were INVALUABLE. They taught me how to care for a newborn. I support the nurses! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@barbarasimmons531]

Awe that was my experience too! I was on bedrest for 6 weeks and then induced. The nurses were amazing! They even threw me a baby shower because I didn't get to have one. I'm forever grateful for the care I received ❤

[@RoyalMasterpiece]

🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

[@LStottmann]

Thank you to the nurses standing up for what’s right. Not only are nurses way overworked, but it’s extremely dangerous to have tired nurses filling in understaffed departments. It’s unfair for nurses and dangerous for the patients. The ratio needs to be closer!

[@jennh2096]

The fact that the hospital offered to add 115 nurses to the ER alone, tells you how bad it is! How on earth are they running on a staff that is 115 nurses short?! That's is absolutely ridiculous

[@cuprunnethover2509]

Oh my Lord! They need serious help! That's is most sad! That's so unheard of and unnecessary!

[@davidxavi1848]

Those 115 nurses aren't going to be there all at once..

[@Tarzan118]

@@davidxavi1848 you’re right 57 in the day shift and 58 in the night shift. Still, an er running 50 nurses less than they want is extremely dangerous.

[@davidxavi1848]

@@Tarzan118 are these new nurses working 7 days a week?!? Nurse shortage is pretty well known because they're all going to NP school

[@AndreAnyone]

should have striked during the mandates !!!!

[@karinpawluk4376]

Thank you to these nurses for doing everything they can to ensure safe patient ratios.This is a patient issue as much or more than it is an issue for nurses.

[@marcosalazar7090]

Hospitals are acting like the drug companies. They want you to be ill so they make more money. And in this case they're making more money by saving money on nurses and it's just despicable.

[@lynndurbin9476]

It's been this way for decades with forced OT.

[@kennethparker6847]

Hello Karin

[@SeaBee1223]

I find this the biggest issue in nursing.

[@davidxavi1848]

It's a problem all over healthcare. Imagine if your nurse is taking care of 5 patients, your doctor probably has to run around to see 45

[@lhj276]

I've never known a nurse who wasn't abused at their job.

[@copperpenny7639]

This is true. When I first started working in the hospital a patient picked up a electric fan that was at the nurses station and threw it at a nurse hitting her on the side of the head. Another co worker who was pregnant got kicked in the stomach by a patient. People have been bitten sexually harassed, racially harassed, a guy I know who is a PCA ended up with back and knee injuries from a patient who attacked him Couple of weeks ago a lady's husband brought in a knife and was threatening staff and attempted to stab a security officer when he came to try to diffuse the situation.

[@lhj276]

@@copperpenny7639 I mean by bosses demanding they work double shifts and a lot of other hospital stuff. But good point. They are first line for a lot of crazy. They deserve not just to be paid but to be able to have time to restore from the stuff they face every day.

[@davidd7397]

I’ve had patients spit on me, hit me, cuss me and admin wants me to smile and ask them to remember to do their surveys. Admin wants us to take more patients with less people. If I didn’t have student loans, I would leave healthcare

[@JitzyJT]

@@copperpenny7639 woah!!!!

[@copperpenny7639]

@@lhj276 what you said is definitely true as well

[@crystaaalwong]

Reading all these comments warm my heart 🥹 i am a nurse at mt sinai who went on strike. i cant even explain how bad the conditions were inside (full house of 35 patients plus hallway patient with only 4 nurses. short staffed in CNA/PCA/PCT, kitchen, transporter etc so in addition to taking double the assignment we also have to be the auxiliary staff as well. last month i was charge nurse with 9 patients!! charge nurses aren't even supposed to have patients!!!) but so so happy that the public finally realized how money greedy this hospital is. i turned in my resignation day 1 of the strike & moving to california where staffing ratio is enforced by law! but grateful to be a part of this historical victory with NYSNA! ❤

[@michaelnaness2425]

woowww I didn't know ratios could be enforced by law but that makes sense. My mom just retired early because of staffing shortages at Good Samaritan on Long Island. Gotta love catholic health care...

[@mayaf.1763]

Good luck in California!

[@abigailrandall7520]

@@michaelnaness2425 yes they can. It’s usually these same hospitals that’s dump hundreds of thousands into propaganda campaigns to kill the bills dead in the water.

[@abbybrown638]

Please keep advocating for your patients. Thank you so much. I hope they staff and pay you fairly, I wouldn't have survived my birth without nurses.

[@swimmingturtle00]

Thanks for all you do! I moved to Santa Clarita CA a few years back. Nice to learn CA has a law about that.

[@buglove515]

I got my RN license in 1999 and went to work at a smaller hospital, but I love rural. My starting salary was 12.76 an hour 😳 I'm now disabled after a 20-year career in nursing. 17+ years in dialysis. I worked doubles took call for 96 hours at a time. I gave my life to the profession. I loved what I did and my pts very much. I miss it, these nurses are doing what should have been done years ago! Positive thoughts and vibes ✨️ 🖤✌️

[@Elena-er7zp]

Prime example of why work-life balance is important. Employers will suck you dry and throw you out like garbage when you’ve got nothing left to give.

[@Aliciaw867]

Omg 12.76

[@2TMarie]

I've been a "slave" nurse for 37 years, used and abused for most of these times. Never been unionized, but ALWAYS wanted that!! You go girls!!

[@brendad940]

As someone who spent 9 days in the hospital with the flu and pneumonia over Christmas in Oregon I sympathize with these nurses. Most are wonderful, compassionate and try to do their jobs well but it's difficult when they are understaffed. They are most definitely underpaid.

[@tmm6884]

They are understaffed. Underpaid? Do you know their salary? And, how few years of education are actually needed?

[@daren5932]

@@tmm6884 Why don't you go to nursing school and then work under these conditions ! I bet you would change your mind very fast! 🤔🤔🤔

[@tmm6884]

@@daren5932 I'm a nurse practitioner and a Psychotherapist. I fully understand what it happening. Do you?

[@daren5932]

@@tmm6884 You don't seem to be very compassionate ! You seem to feel you are superior to them! Might need to find it in your heart to CARE!

[@tmm6884]

@@daren5932 get off whatever stairway that makes you feel high and mighty. Also, learn the whole story. Otherwise, you don't know what nursing requires. I'm sure that you feel that your opinion matters in every situation. It doesn't dear unless you have educated yourself on the issues at hand. I'm a nurse practitioner. I spent my time as an RN. I'm also a patient who is not pleased that my breast cancer double, radical mastectomy has been pushed back because neither side knows how to negotiate without the treat of a strike. Every day I don't have that surgery, my odds of living go down and rapidly as it's an aggressive and rare cancer. I'm lucky that my surgeon found a hospital upstate that understood the gravity of the situation. Until you can offer anything other than your mimsy Virtue signaling, keep it to yourself.

[@caitlinweiss8801]

When I switched my major from nursing to biology I thought my nursing friends would be disappointed but instead they congratulated me and said it was a smart move. If that doesn't tell you something is wrong, I don't know what will. We need to take care of our nurses.

[@dunamis9935]

Lol.. bullshit l.

[@sparkle3000]

15/20 patients to one nurse and 500 vacancies? PEOPLE SHOULD BE PISSED OFF!!! What happened to all the pot banging? Our nurses need RESPECT! They need time to rest and rejuvenate. I want a happy nurse on my bedside when I'm not well. Hospitals are not a business only. It should stay Healthcare. HMO's started this many years ago. It's not working.

[@Weeabofighter]

Aww they have to actually work??? So sad 😞

[@sherrir3]

@@Weeabofighter Obviously you've never been a nurse. It's not about working it's about safety for the patients we're taking care of and how many people do you think you can take care of at 1 time pass meds and anything else that needs to be done and do it safely and the best interest of the patient

[@Weeabofighter]

@@sherrir3 True I have NEVER been a RN. Let me tell you this. My father had a benign tumor in the frontal part of his brain. Thank God he went to mayo clinic and had surgery to have it removed. And he is also lucky my mom was there to take care of him. And she told me that the nurses that were there, and remember this is MAYO CLINIC. They would be constantly on their phones, not paying attention to my dad's nutritional chart. He couldn't have any caffeine or chocolates and surprise surprise. They would bring him coffee, tea, and yes you guessed it...motherFNING CHOCOLATE!! So I can only IMAGINE how these hospitals are in these commie states. Dancing and making tiktoks probably 😏

[@anitakristensen4679]

It's not just nurses. My daughter is a cna at a hospital. She had 18 patients on med serg floor.

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

There is always compromise. I will agree people have no idea how important nurses and police truly are and they've been disregarded for awhile now. It's not just about YOU needing them, it's about your mom or dad or son or daughter or friend or brother or sister or grandma or uncle etc. They get sick too. They get attacked or mugged too. Population control (meaning the world finally realizing we need to slow down producing humans) is something to consider.

[@BKJay718]

They have my support!!!!! I was hospitalized last year in ICU for an aneurysm in NYU. I loved the nurse who initially got me settled in my room. She had a sass and sense of humor and was also caring. My other nurse I adored. She was so sweet to me and spoke to me like I was “normal” I apologized and always thanked her whenever she checked on me or helped me. Being hospitalized can be lonely at times. I looked forward to seeing my nurses. Even when I got poked and prodded. Kindness and respect STILL goes a long way!!!

[@annw1395]

I was an ICU RN for 38 years; and retired luckily before COVID. No union in AZ. These nurses are right. Unsafe staffing ratios, insufficient help, hurting your back bc you're trying to turn patients by yourself who are obese, and so much stress you can't even imagine. At other types of jobs, you can be busy, but you don't have to worry that your client will bleed to death if you go to the bathroom. I've worked 12-hr shifts without ever getting to pee or eat. The hospital and Medicare require ridiculous amounts of extra charting, mandated by people behind desks who never worked at the bedside, yet lecture you to "work smarter, not harder". And if anything bad happens to your patient, it's YOUR license on the line. These poor nurses had it even worse during COVID, and change needs to happen. The current nurses are aging out, and then where will we be?

[@slcRN1971]

That same very old and very stupid ‘work smarter not harder’ bull, has been a bane to all nurses - - even back in the early 1970s, when I was a new RN‼️😵‍💫🤢 I started my career back when there was only one RN on each unit/per shift. 20 - 35 hospital patients with only two CNAs to assist, No way to take any breaks or mealtimes. I participated in a walk-out (as strikes were illegal in this USA Southern Coastal state) in the 1980s, because of horrible staff ratios and not yet making $5.00 hr. It’s tragic that this still occurs in this century!!! 🥴😩

[@theblondeone8426]

They are so brave - I stand with them as a fellow RN. Its not all about pay either, its about how difficult the job becomes when you are overwhelmed with patients. If you were a cook in a restaurant and everyday they suddenly said “youll be cooking for 300 guests today” wound that be ok with you?! They NEED maximum ratios ours is usually six:1 anymore and we might call safe harbor…

[@greyshepherd3456]

National average for RN is $77,600/yr. If you're making nearly 80grand a year.. you have very little to complain about in my eyes. If you were a cook in a restaurant being paid 80grand a year.. yeah.. you'd do 300 tops like it ain't a thing.

[@bluethunder5694]

1000s of nurses doing tic toks seems like if you don't have 5 out of 8 hrs to bullshit with co workers you're over worked, everyone has jobs and at mine you work 8 it's not tic tok and bullshit and so on

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

@@greyshepherd3456 a registered RN just started out wouldn't make near that much right away. Maybe ones who have been their for 5 to 10 yrs.

[@greyshepherd3456]

@@flightofthebumblebee9529 A professional chef working 300 tops won't make 80k immediately either.. if EVER..

[@Just-Human]

Democrat policies.

[@loveschool383]

As a nurse my self, I can’t tell you how many days a week I can’t take a break to pee. The community shouldn’t be ok with this. People lined up in the hall way and patients can’t be seen for hours. This is not ok. They should put a cap on the executes making billions not the nurses making 1%

[@andrewb4943]

Agreed.. scum of the earth are trying to take all the money for themselves and leave whoever survives as their slaves.

[@sunnydelight3046]

How about no tik tok videos 🤔

[@babyjessejames376]

As a fellow nurse, I know exactly what they're talking about. Good to see them standing up for their patients and for themselves. 👍❤️

[@SeychelleSunshine]

They have my full support. As incredibly difficult as the decrease in staff will be, something must be done for them to truly be heard. It's necessary for better patient care and employee work conditions in the long term. Thank you for all that you do!

[@niloticnya]

exactly. this will negatively affect patients in the short term, but this is a necessary action that will help both patients and nurses in the long run. i hope they get what they deserve and want to know how i can help

[@teresabaxter798]

Years ago I worked as a CNA ( Certified Nursing Assistant) we were assigned a Nurse one Nurse one CNA. Our job was to assist with patient care, we started our shift by giving bedbaths to those patients who could not get out of bed, ambulated patients to the showers for those who could ambulate we handed out all the breakfast/lunch/and dinner trays, and picked up all trays afterwards. We noted what each patient ate and charted it. We made the beds with clean linens, we emptied all bladder bags, and noted intake/outputs in the patients charts. We refilled bedside water pitchers, answered call lights, and if it required the NURSES attention we related that to the nurse and she handle it from there. But we did answer all the call lights. Seems to me that hospitals did away with CNAs and saddled the NURSES with all those extra duties

[@sayyadinawitch]

They run the aides into the ground also. Housekeeping and kitchen as well. This country is truly crumbling.

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

Think about this, hospitals and nursing homes literally harbored and protected a serial killer who was killing patients because it protected their business interests. That is horrifying.

[@jasonscott4366]

Its cause they hired cna’s that werent doing anything so they gave the workload back to nurses.

[@jasonscott4366]

@@flightofthebumblebee9529which hospital and who

[@gomamon15]

You are the backbone of the healthcare industry!!! You have support :).

[@Forever-j3n]

❤❤❤❤

[@patriciagurwitz509]

We had to have seen this day coming🙏🏽Those in the medical field have been saying it for a while that they’re barely getting by

[@Dontcallmebruh]

Police too

[@bobshagit9503]

nurses get paid crap

[@bobshagit9503]

@You Tube LOL you are either getting false data or pushing false data

[@bobshagit9503]

@You Tube the average nurse in NYC makes $42 a hour ... where are you getting your false data lol.... i think you are sitting on it

[@BabyBang17datruth]

@@bobshagit9503 Maybe talking about travel nurses.

[@smcdade4577]

Nursing is a hard profession- physically & emotionally. And our patients, who need us, give us the motivation when our own houses are in chaos & our bodies hurt. The money is there- Just pay up & staffing will increase!!!

[@cheryl5994]

WHEN YOU WORK IN A RESTAURANT & GET 300 COVERS EVERYDAY IT'S PART & PARCEL OF THE JOB, PEOPLE GOING INTO THAT PROFFESION KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, IT'S NOT EASY BUT THAT'S THE NAME OF THE GAME & IT'S THE SAME IN THE MEDICAL/HEALTH PROFFESION. WHY GO INTO IT IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE HOW HARD & DEMANDING IT CAN BE? I PERSONALLY KNOW DRS & NURSES KN MANY LEVELS & THEY ALL SAY IT'S PART OF THE JOB, IT'S WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO, YOU DON'T STRIKE BECAUSE IT'S HARD, YOU DON'T STRIKE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO DEMAND MORE MONEY. IF IT'S TOO MUCH GET ANOTHER JOB THAT'S MORE SUITED TO YR NEEDS.

[@cieltheeditor7922]

SHUT UP CHERYL YOU DONT DESERVE HEALTH CARE IF YOU LACK THAT MUCH COMMON SENSE AND BASIC UNDERSTANDING ARE YOU BRAINDEAD YOU OLD HAG HOW IGNORANT YOU ARE IS LAUGHABLE AND PATHETIC

[@cieltheeditor7922]

DID YOU NOT GRADUATE THE FIRST GRADE CHERYL GO BACK TO SCHOOL YOUR GRAMMAR IS DOG SH*T YOU DUMBASS YOU PROBABLY CONTRIBUTE NOTHING TO SOCIETY THE WORLD WILL REJOICE THE DAY YOU ROT IN THE GROUND 🤪🤣🤣

[@KennyBooB00]

@Cheryl it's not that. They're fighting for safe staffing. A safe ratio between patients and nurse. We're taking care of people lives. You're comparing to restaurants worker doesn't compare

[@tarabarrentine3249]

@@cheryl5994 Wrong!! Nursing is NOTHING like working at a restaurant as we are dealing with life and death and it’s ridiculous to even compare the two. We are professionals. We should be paid and treated like professionals but we are used and abused by the hospital systems time and time again and no this is NOT what “I signed up for.” Maybe you should think before posting such a ridiculous statement, unless you are a nurse working the front lines please shut up and sit down! 😡😤

[@legaciesnubia424]

First of all let’s start with the Nursing Organization. Why is there not a universal nursing license. Where you can work in any state.

[@cuprunnethover2509]

That would help!

[@90shilling]

There is a shortage because we quit when we were forced to work with unsafe numbers of patients and didn't get to take any breaks. Corporate staffed short on units...on purpose, and it's criminal.

[@jennh2096]

Yep. I left the hospital 15 years ago for the same issues that are still fighting now. It hasn't changed a bit

[@chayaleahisrael4791]

My daughter is a nurse and a lawyer for nurses! I understand because I worked in the nursing field as well! I seen where nurses are burning out! These corporations are greedy instead of taking care of their nurses.

[@dannettejackson202]

Yeah, It's called ' Corporate Greed' !!!!

[@slcRN1971]

‘For profit’ hospitals shouldn’t even be a real thing!!

[@Bored190]

Nurses was sooo nice to my mom when she was fighting cancer they didn’t leave her side at all I stand behind them give the nurses what they deserve

[@janeclayton151]

CEOs, Administrators and management give themselves $$ , hospitalization is scary due to chronic underfunding and unsafe patient ratios.

[@mojojeinxs9960]

Nurse Aids always get left out. We do all the dirty heavy work get paid poverty wages. Definitely need a strong union to protect us.

[@djrhhejdcigfvsvn3509]

Some RN’s are lazy

[@ursonbear3268]

Sad that this is what healthcare has become. As a Nursing Assistant for the past 12 years it is difficult working short. I have been THE ONLY Nursing Assistant to 48 patients. Yes, we also had nurses on the unit; however, we are the unsung brunts and grunts of nursing facilities. The nurses have now been bogged down with paperwork, charting, notes, etc. nursing has become nothing but documentation and making sure we satisfy the patient to the extent they give us a great review for insurance reimbursement. As the blame goes to hospital administration it should equally be blamed on the insurance companies who have dictated reimbursement rates based on patient satisfaction. We are not a bell hop service, we are not maids, we are not slaves. Our job is to care for the sick to get the back to their baseline and home to their loved one. IT should NEVER be about how happy we can make you based off how much we do and give you.

[@marycompogno5665]

I have the same problem where I work in a Assisted living and memory care facility. The whole health care system is getting worse and both patients and workers are suffering. It is a nightmare sometimes and management just keeps bringing more people into the facility and they try to bring in agency to help which it does a little but there are times the agency people can't come in and it gets bad.

[@maurreese]

I am with the nurses ❤🙏🏿 Hopefully a solution can be found quickly.

[@victoriap4335]

I was an RN in Florida fir over 30 yrs. We were not legally permitted to strike even though our wages were the lowest in the country and we were Always understaffed! I was made a 'Charge Nurse' before I was even 'officialy' an RN (I had taken my boards but results were not back yet! Clearly, things are much different now than in the 1980'd, 90's etc. Im not sure exactly what the issues are today. My daughter is an RN in Nashville and she seemed fairly cont went with being a Nurse until the Pandemic. Im hoping that as Covid subsides things will get better for this wonderful profession!

[@rachelr.290]

A loved one worked as an RN at a large, corporate hospital. They and other nurses were provided with NO guaranteed sick days (you accumulated penalties every day you were sick) until state legislature amended employment laws. Nurses would regularly show up to care for immunocompromised patients - including babies on ventilators - while ill, sneaking into the bathroom to vomit or blow their noses in between patients. They didn’t want to risk getting fired. Meanwhile, the hospital execs are making hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[@slcRN1971]

Oh my, back in the 1970-1990s, this was also true. I was harassed when I tried to call in sick (even the time I and most of our maternity unit staff had food poisoning).

[@sarah2576]

I heard there’s a nurse covering the ER at Mt Sinai during the strike who was expected to take 23 patients! Unacceptable.

[@pepperpower1652]

Theses people who gave C. 💉,. I will never t,r,u,s,t . The m,e,d,I,a,covers up the tr,u,t,h....

[@mira-qi5kb]

God help them to live through this

[@theblondeone8426]

are u kidding meee

[@Katt1130]

That’s kinda typical for many Hospital. I’m a disgruntled er nurse.

[@Mech537]

That's true

[@PowerrPundit]

These staffing ratios are impossible. 8:1, 12:1, 15:1, that's just asking for mistakes and deaths. Why put your license, mental health, physical health and livelihood at risk so that private hospitals, CEO's, and management can make their shareholders happy and fill their pockets?? It makes no sense, so glad to see nurses taking action together!!! This is the only way!!

[@davidxavi1848]

Nurses are already so pampered in NYC because of their union. They don't do blood draws, transport patients to necessary tests and imaging, etc even though these are standard nursing responsibilities elsewhere because they know they can get away with it

[@PowerrPundit]

​@@davidxavi1848 Responsibilities are different in every system. Why should a nurse be working as a phlebotomist and a PSW / CNA when they're available and are better trained for those tasks? There's a reason why doctors don't insert foleys or IV's anymore and why they leave imaging to radiologic technologist now, they have better things to do with their time. The scopes of family physicians and internists has changed, and so has the scope of RN's. If you wanna be ignorant on how the healthcare system works or doesn't work thats up to you, but it doesnt help anyone talking out of your ass.

[@davidxavi1848]

@@PowerrPundit I agree NYC nurses used to do all these things (and in most other areas, still do these things). They begged for new staff to do all these parts of their job e.g. drawing blood, getting vitals, transporting patients, helping patients in the bathroom, yet they still want to whine about how they don't want to take more patients. If you actually watch an RN in the hospital, there are busy moments if a couple patients need something at the same time, but most of the time is just on Instagram or on their phones.

[@anfran7262]

@leobenli5240 Thank you, you are informed. This other asshat is not

[@char_latte]

@@davidxavi1848 haven’t worked in NY, but I’ve worked in four other states as a traveler. Three of those states have had separate staff for phlebotomy and transportation. Patients and their care requirements are becoming more complex by the day and there is a ton of invisible work that goes on to adequately individualize a plan and keep that plan afloat, and your patients safe. Are you a nurse? Because it doesn’t seem like you understand the scope of the job.

[@OmarAbdulMalikDHEdMPASPACPAPro]

I came from a nursing background. They need so MUCH more support than they get. This is worldwide now. My mom is a retired nurse. And I started out as a CNA whilst pursuing my RN degree. I saw this coming, 30 years ago.☹️ Nurses need more support.👋🏽👨🏾‍⚕️❤️

[@slcRN1971]

Being a dedicated hospital RN from the early 1970s, my retirement health has been negatively affected. I spent more hours working in high stress situations and also overtime - - plus brought home required/necessary work (off the clock) such as : wrote policies and procedures, did evaluations, did staff scheduling, put together teaching classes for staff, etc. Yes, there are more staff than when I worked but the demands on nurses has only worsened and the patients are much sicker.

[@carolinatovar1624]

Thank you Carol for your dedication. I pray that there will be change in the way they take care of our nurses 🙏 ❤️

[@crissyk3783]

I'm an 1199 union member, I support all nurses!! Better working conditions = better care for our patients. At the end of the day isn't that what healthcare is about? CARE??

[@greatestgigliello3282]

And professional athletes get millions for playing a game. This world is fucked

[@mmp495]

This is heartbreaking for these nurses having to fight for support, better conditions and pay when they would rather be caring for patients. This reminds me of Red for Ed when as a teacher we had a similar strike and students were missing teachers. Hoping for the best.🙏♥️

[@sunnydelight3046]

They would rather make tik tok videos

[@slcRN1971]

As a retired RN, I empathize with overworked and hassled nurses. Teachers are also in a very demanding and unappreciated profession and deserve so very much more!!

[@etherealvibes91]

Been a CNA since 2009 and at 30 I decided to go back to school for marine biology instead nurses and CNAs do soooo much to take care of peoples families in the case of the elderly some of their families wouldn’t even come see them till they passed 😭 so we are their family and yet all you get in return is crapped on. It is physically mentally and emotionally draining. I have a lot of love and respect for nurses and CNAs deff the real heroes who are never respected. Lack of pay understaffed I’ve seen it all. The main benefit was meeting the most amazing elderly residents who had a family that never would come so we are their family and at least they can pass knowing someone cared. 💔 also I have never said this till now but shame on the people who don’t visit their family member at a nursing home I get it people are “busy” but we are not a foster home for you to just drop of your grandparents or family member the least you could do is make time to visit and show some love 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think those are the worst kind of people. I’ve seen a family come when the man passed away and while they waited for the funeral home to pick up his body they stood in his room and argued about who gets what. I was never so disgusted in my life. & legally we are suppose to bite our tongues. Something to think about you don’t only have to visit on holidays. I should add I understand in certain times with dementia and hospice patients it’s hard to see your loved one like that but for closure it might be good to make those visits. 💛

[@lizrango4099]

As a CNA I agree

[@slcRN1971]

Be aware that getting a job after getting a degree in marine biology is rare. My husband got his BS in that field and then found out that to get a good job in that field, you need to have at least a Master Degree. Most have to get their Doctorate Degree. My career was as a hospital RN (over-worked and taken for granted and CNAs were so appreciated by me (but not valued by admin as they should be).

[@rachelgates509]

When my dad was in the hospital this past summer I found out that the nurses taking care of him were a group working on a regional rotating basis across multiple states to cover staffing shortages. One sweet nurse I talked had a four-year-old son in Alabama or may be Georgia I can’t remember was waiting for her at home once she finished a 12 day shift where I live. Hospitals make millions they can afford to fully staff their hospital with nurses and doctors instead of making damn sure there is a robust system of administration staff and people looking through newspapers to find obituaries to make sure to file a claim against an estate after a death from that persons hospital stay! That is what is sick!

[@kennethparker6847]

Hi Rachel

[@migmontest]

When you are 500 nurses short someone is suffering somewhere.. and profits going up somewhere too

[@maxinewest4096]

Hopefully these nurses will get a good contract, that professional job is a necessary job of life.

[@sparkle3000]

Those CEO'S had better not get sick right now.

[@sparkle3000]

@You Tube Hopefully not

[@Feed_the_Kitty_a_Hotdog]

You keep replying to every post the same thing @You Tube. You’re a frickin troll.

[@elonawilliams4809]

I take my hat off to all nurses. These nurses risk their lives to approach patients with contagious diseases and some of them got sick and died !!! Imagine that? ❤️🙏

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

People have no idea how important they are until they or a loved one gets sick or hurt.

[@preciouskate8044]

Yea people fail to see there important

[@preciouskate8044]

Well can we know each other better than this

[@slcRN1971]

I lost one of my sisters to COVID, she died at the hospital where she worked as an LPN.

[@elonawilliams4809]

@@slcRN1971 I know saying I am sorry for your lost is not enough. You're in my prayers ♥️🙏

[@JohnSmith-ps7hf]

I walked away 2 years ago with no regrets.

[@cuprunnethover2509]

I feel sad for the patients. They are the ones suffering!

[@pound14poundking]

Nurses get a lot of abuse like the cops and mta employees, so many are leaving, NYC is not for us real New Yorkers that have been raised and born here. It’s so expensive.

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

People have no idea how truly important medical and police personnel truly are. Most people are lost in artificial reality (usually drug related or social media related) and forget they need these people to keep us safe.

[@niloticnya]

definitely, they are deeply under appreciated yet they’re the ones we call when it’s life or death. i will say that police are necessary but there should be some reform bc they have the highest DV rates than any other profession. regardless, police that provide great services to our community should be paid more for putting their lives on the line.

[@LWalks64]

ICU RN here….Everything these nurses are saying is absolute truth! We are extremely overworked and desperately underpaid! After 26 years I’m walking away from it completely but can’t retire for 14 years so I have to do something else for the time being. Everyone in the community suffers when experienced RN’s walks away from the bedside! Believe that! And many will not realize it until you or your family’s time of need. Something to thing about. Give us what we are worth!

[@dakotac180]

All over the country not just NYC. It's so true nurses are underserved and underpaid in general. My mom has been a nurse all my life and watching her struggle just to take care of others breaks my heart. The system is set up for people to fail and people have a right to be pissed

[@slcRN1971]

My daughter watched how my dedication as a career hospital nurse, adversely affected my health. She did NOT want to be a nurse and I’m glad.

[@gomamon15]

Fully supporting nurses :) You go nurses :)

[@loveschool383]

Thank you for your support

[@tallymcdonald948]

Ultimately it's about the safety of patients - grateful for all those involved and so happy to see the DEMAND for change

[@davidxavi1848]

Nurses are already so pampered in NYC because of their union. They don't do blood draws, transport patients to necessary tests and imaging, etc even though these are standard nursing responsibilities elsewhere because they know they can get away with it. If nurses want to talk patient safety, let's start there

[@beckyparker1532]

I'm a retired RN and this is what short staffing looks like: A nurse is at the bedside about to give a pt his meds, suddenly the pt's roommate who hasn't seen his nurse for hours, goes berserk throwing everything in he grasp. This nurse stops what she's doing and intervenes then forgets to administer the meds to her and they are discovered on the pt's bedside stand by the next shift. They report her and she's is fired and reported to the state board of nursing who reprimands her that becomes a matter of public record that impacts her career for the rest of her life.

[@RikersforTrump]

It's that way everywhere in America.

[@littleyana-learnandplay]

I can feel their feelings as nurse… they are brave

[@glory2910]

I am not a nurse, I couldn't afford school. I know nurses whom have always chosen the welfare of their patients above their own pay and even extremely poor working conditions. So fo these higher ranking women trying to label the strikers as selfish is an an example of the reason the grunt workers keep getting shafted.

[@maraolson1710]

Yet they im on dozen 3 year waiting lists to get in the program. We need to more nurses but more nurse educators. I want to become a nurse so bad but its almost impossible. Im working my butt off.

[@junnu1984]

I've never seen any doctors striking for their pay and working conditions. Even the House Staff doctors get paid handsomely by the Hospitals. When nurses made more $$$ during the pandemic, putting their lives at risk... a loser of a politician from Florida wanted to introduce a bill for capping nurses' pay. CEO and shareholders make millions, but then they are always crying about budget.

[@JohnSmith-bx5fg]

CEOs are the ones keeping the business afloat with our them there's be no job for you to work at, a good CEO is a lot harder to come by then a nurse so they make way more money.

[@loveschool383]

Proud of you fellow nurses. Great job❤️ We are sick of the greedy executives

[@ladiibug3318]

I’m proud of these nurses. I wish teachers in my state can strike like this

[@ebonylo.]

Wow your teachers didn't strike? I thought evey state did a couple years ago

[@slcRN1971]

As a retired hospital RN, I agree. Teachers are under so much stress too and deserve better pay, working conditions, and to be treated respectfully (especially by admin and ‘entitled’ parents).

[@Perpertua35]

Staffing ratio/ law has been enforced here in CA since 2004. They should point to CA for modeling.

[@soraya0202]

I left bedside nursing a month ago. inpatient nursing is just so brutal. Staff shortage. taking care of 6~7 patients, not enough PCNA. It was unsafe for patients and caregivers. I was burned out after a year being a new nurse. The hospital tries to get travel nurses to fill the space but still it's so bad. It's so weird to me. Paying double/triple for travel nurses to fill the spaces but less money for the nurses who actually work for the hospital. Travel nurse told me it's same inpatient nursing, why not make more money by becoming a travel nurse and control own schedule.

[@Thetruth-hr6rt]

I'm so happy that NYSNA has stepped up. How long did these hospitals think that they could pay their shareholders and neglect the nurses and patients? CNA's/clerks do not make up for nurses.

[@johnmichael7036]

I left mt sinai few months ago. I was taking care of 8-10 patients. Its very unsafe.

[@nickschneider8211]

What do you do now and what were you being paid as a rn in my Sinai?

[@Karamdeb]

This makes me so very sad but I stand with my sister Nurses.

[@Calcifurr]

Nurses in my area make over $100k a year whereas teachers make $50k a year. Teachers also need a huge raise especially with the increase in hun shootings and teacher shortages.

[@TriciaRP]

Tell that to THE NBA NFL TV SHOW hosts The ENTIRE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS **** ALL MAKE MORE THAN OUR MILITARY AND THE MOST VALUABLE SURGEON OVER HERE!!!! THIS IS WHAT THE CESSPOOL AMERICAN NATION VALUE This is WHY WE ARE BEHIND in the THINGS IN LIFE THAT MATTER . SERVING GOD .......the one THE GOD one we ALL FORGOT TO BLESS MARRIAGE babies FAMILY and children Education!!! MILITARY SECURITY! THE ENTIRE NATION IS GOING DOWN HILL MANY JUST TOO BLIND TO SEE IT . BETTER GET THE LORD IN YOUR LIFE CAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU!!!

[@777MAG]

I just became a nurse a few years ago…😢this is so sad to watch💔I’m thinking of leaving the profession. I feel stuck now. I thought it was better than this. I was wrong.

[@stargazerlily7016]

Don’t give up! ❤️

[@mariadelpilarlopez4604]

Nurse deserved Respected and more 💰💰💰💰💰. Thanks Nurse for your services💖💖💖

[@msc8663]

This is why so many nurses including me quit. It a really tough job. Pay them they deserve it.

[@JenniferGarcia-yj3jo]

These nurses deserve it all. Nurses, Doctors, Health professionals, Paramedics/EMT and our workforce people simply deserve it all! This should not be an issue, nor even the need to negotiate- pay and staff what is needed, so simple. IDK if nurses make 250k, couldn't pay me 500k to be a nurse.

[@True21315]

Outside of NY and CA, new nurses make about $67,000. I think this is sad.

[@ak5235]

They should really give the nurses what they need. In fact they should give teachers as well. You work so so hard. You deserve to get paid WELL

[@giapuffs]

One the absolute more stressful jobs to have. Same for Caregivers/Nurse Aides.

[@LadyAtheOnly]

I stand with the nurses.✊🏾

[@juliecunningham6188]

My question is while medical staff is on strike who is taking care of the patients?? Especially the ones that are in dieing and CCU??

[@nutterbutter865]

The patients are on strike too

[@smeekle2000]

They die on the ventilator.

[@coreysue3451]

nurses are expected to sacrifice EVERYTHING for the place they work at. I am glad my daughter is no longer in the field...you have to be a real masochist to tolerate the management and the unruly patients. She had bruising all over from patients, didn't have time for herself or her family. Just awful, and the 'pay' wasn't great (OR state). Now she's at a mortuary, getting her license, and seems the patients there are more cooperative lol.

[@cuprunnethover2509]

You so silly Mom 🤦🤣🤣

[@marianamaro1392]

First of all, I want to say thank you for all the nurses out there for all your dedicated service, hard work and sleepliness night taking care for peoples live. 2nd, for institutions or management and NSCBN, short staffing will not happen if you know how to take care of your staff too, there are thousands if not millions of grad nurses who is ready to do the job but cant get in because of NCLEX. We get it this freshly grad nurses need to take the exam as a rule before they get licensed and practice. But as business is talking there are alot of delays for this grad nurses to get in because they cant pass so they will retake over an over and pay even they dont have job yet and your getting money already from this nurses to get their license. Then when they get the job they will be facing the same issue short staff, work hours abuse and then quit. Same cycle will happened if not new policy will be out. Too make it short, if you want nurses in this institutions stop doing business, lets get our newly grads test, trained and do their passion which is helping people. What important is training and yes knowledge but please stop taking money to this newly grad as well. They dont have a job to pay for reviews and retakes for NCLEX. This time around we should know whats priority, and lets not forget that we need to help one another. Understaff nurse is not ok. If you know what a Nurse does in their work, its not easy. We need staff all over so we can give the right care to all our patients. Lets give this nurses what they need because sooner or later you might just close your institution for no nurses will work for you.

[@thistleskeptic]

Anyone who wants good care in the hospital should support these nurses. They are the ones in the trenches actually taking care of you 24/7. There is plenty of research showing that short staffing (which hospitals do to cut costs at almost all hospitals) leads to worse outcomes for patients. With every patient you add onto a nurse's workload, the less attention you will get. Good nurses get burned out and either leave the bedside or quit nursing completely. The goal should be to retain nurses to retirement... experienced nurses will save your life!

[@goatrockhunters8000]

NYC, like a lot of cities have a major nurse shortage. Many have quit or moved to less populated areas to get away from the stress and politics. Those who have remained are being overworked and forced to do too much. Many of us saw this coming for over a year. It’ll only get worse across the country in cities everywhere!!!

[@Meeounn]

Most quit because hospitals don't pay enough for us to live in the city we're serving! Many of us don't want to drive an hr+ to get to work to live in an area where we can afford!

[@goatrockhunters8000]

@@Meeounn that sucks. I had a friend in a similar situation is Atlanta. They finally moved out. Got to violent. Gangs were everywhere and had pretty much taken over. She almost got hit with a stray bullet 2 years ago while pumping gas. It was about 7 am. After that she and her husband decided enough was enough. They sold their home and moved to a small town about an hour north. Best decision they ever made.

[@s.romero2934]

I retired in 2016 from Mount Sinai East! I still have nightmares where I can not administer my medications on time because we are stretched too thin😞

[@truthhurts3524]

I hope these nurses get what they need/want. If Carol ever gives up nursing, I’d love it if she decided to narrate audio books.

[@truthhurts3524]

Yes, because she has an accent I enjoy. I guess burn me at the stake. 🤷🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

[@lauriesica]

Hospitals should not be for profit institutions!!!

[@jennh2096]

At least one of the 2 hospitals is a non-profit. But it doesn't change a damn thing about how they run things because the big wigs at the top are still getting rich, and the hospital isn't even contributing to the community via taxes on its revenue since it has non profit status. Just don't let the non profit thing trick you, it doesn't make then any less greedy. The whole system has to have profit removed from the equation for it to work

[@KH-nt7ej]

Nurse here in Toronto, Canada. We can't strike. We are considered essential. Yet the Government in Ontario caps our wage increase at 1% per year. They won't repeal a bill to prevent this. We also can't take it anymore. This pandemic has broke us. The government doesn't care. I know nurses who have killed themselves, left for work in the US and left the profession altogether. I am barely hanging on myself.

[@richardwayne5452]

Overpaid and lazy from what I have seen when I met nurses or dealt with them. Also, extremely entitled. The recent grads are the worse also

[@christyhamm2318]

Can't ask us to work like we do And show us no respect Remember we care for your friends and loved ones Has to be safe

[@RikersforTrump]

Right, stop abusing nurses!

[@Phillipnoogen]

More like stop abusing Healthcare workers. All positions in Healthcare are dirt pay and are almost near to minimum wage. For example. Fast food workers make 16$ minimum wage while emts make 18. People who clean covid room/hospitals make minimum wage as well.

[@rodericksumaway5441]

@@Phillipnoogen -sO, WOrship JEHOVAH God father of Jesus b4 it's 2 late because d end is very neAr

[@Phillipnoogen]

@@rodericksumaway5441 gross get away you religious freak.

[@rodericksumaway5441]

@@Phillipnoogen -sO, WOrship JEHOVAH God father of Jesus b4 it's 2 late because d end is very neAr

[@skyhigh8734]

It’s a scary world when the people we rely on for medical care are on strike. This is bad

[@LisaApril]

It doesn’t matter if nurses get an increase in pay if There are not enough nurses to take care of all the patience safely! If nurses are underpaid getting a raise is the first step, and dealing with the understaffing must be addressed before the workload increases causing safety risks, and patient safety plummets! When I was in the hospital The nurses cared for me and saved me! Without them I would have received no care as doctors only come for five minutes every other morning, If that. Usually I hardly ever saw my doctor but they communicated through the nurses and I communicated to my doctor through the nurses❤ I love nurses❤

[@kariv916]

Being in the medical field, hospitals are only beholden to their shareholders. CEOs are only concerned with bottom line and increasing profit. Healthcare is now a business. Private equity has infiltrated and bought up hospitals, physician practices, and labs. Medical training and expertise is not valued and the workers (doctors, nurses, etc) are treated like disposable commodity. Everyone needs to stand against these places. Unsafe staffing, burnout, and devalued personnel make it a terrible choice in profession now.

[@beffiesays]

Being a nurse is like being in an abusive relationship...

[@theblondeone8426]

thanks for covering this Im a TX nurse so I had no idea why they had done it

[@PRCutie101]

Yesterday I went to Baystate he Hospital ED in Springfield MA and I slept on the floor for 15 Hours before anyone saw me. The urine samples were piled in a bucket at the front desk and let's not talk about the conditions in the back once you got seen YIKES 😬 This is getting scary EVERYWHERE!

[@davidxavi1848]

Stop allowing nurses to become unqualified, untrained nurse practitioners and we would have more nurses to care for patients.

[@jayshap.2892]

Don't give up until your demands are met. Tired of top being greedy.

[@accioanna]

I just have some questions. Is it because the hospitals don’t want to hire these 500 people but the 500 people are lined up wanting a job? Or is it a shortage because not as many people are going into the field or can’t afford to be a nurse in a place where cost of living is so high? Who is taking care of patients while these nurses strike? Why do they pay travel nurses more than staff that stay?

[@Cwgrlup]

Probably horrible patient - -to -nurse ratios. I quit floor nursing because the amount of patients we were expected to take care of was total crap. People have no idea who actually saves lives. It’s the nurses. People go to the hospital for NURSING CARE- not Physician care.

[@DianeAbotsLastSurvivinBrainCel]

I am in U.K. and our health care system is broken rn. Man the world is a frikking mess.

[@sonyajohnson9311]

We know there is a shortage ..when you get to work they are scrambling for staff everyday

[@DrJeffreyTran]

Healthcare admins need to be looked at carefully. They are paid more than nurses and aren’t patient facing. Just saying what I saw in years of healthcare

[@junomaxzoey5146]

Good for you NURSES ! You guys are courageous ! Nurses must have great pay plus a pension for putting their life on the line on an everyday basis.

[@Izzy-ww6bh]

Nurses do so much for us and go through so much💔💔 They’re heroes but they’re treated so badly by these money hungry hospitals. They deserve so much better.

[@dannettejackson202]

It's an excellent example of "Corporate Greed" at it's finest!!