I've been an RN for 44 years. I worked at PH for 20 years. The pay was never an issue for me. It was the working conditions. I would have taken a pay cut if it meant better work conditions. (I realize not all think like me) And even then, I'd still be there today, in a heart beat, if my old job was available.
PeaceHealth has a beautiful mission statement, but I am perplexed as to how, over and over again, they seem to make decisions that appear counter to it. Ie, they seemed to value appearances- or the latest medical craze. over efficiency and genuine patient-centered care. RIverbend is beautiful, but, from a staff RNs viewpoint, inefficient in design. They'd asked for our input on the design but did not follow our suggestions. Peace Health has amazing, compassionate and skilled employees-the best, IMHO -but the leaders just don't seem to get it. I realize they have to have $$ to stay afloat, but then why so many decisions that put appearances over care? (Why do they treat the hospitalists, their backbone, the way they do? ) Why did - and do- the CEOs keep getting huge increases in salary? I realize that this is just how it's done in our country. But still...
The pandemic was a huge blow. Initially, when I was not allowed to wear a mask at work (yes, you read correctly), I took a short leave of absence, as I was concerned about bringing a virus home to my family that, as yet, so little was known about, and I felt they were not taking it seriously enough. ...Then they went the opposite extreme. Closing not just to visitors, but to many other valuable and potentially life saving health services, as they waited for the surge... which never came to us. Nurses were being paid to do jobs such as take temperatures at the front entrance, (as if that was going to screen out those with the virus?) as there was little to no work for them on the units.
Then, 9 months after the vaccine came out - long after we on the front lines noted that it was not a sterilizing vaccine, (and even, by then, the CDC had admitted this) -they came out with their mandate. It did not matter if you had already had covid or had worked throughout the pandemic- exposed multiple times- and never had symptoms or tested positive. It did not matter if you had a medical issue that made you high risk for a reaction. It did not matter if you believed MRNA technology could be unsafe and they were not able to answer your concerns about it. (They just ignored my questions- and yes, I asked respectfully.) You were out.
Many staff members relented at that time and took the shots, but it hurt morale, which was already low by then. Some went to other nearby hospitals, where their exemptions (medical or religious) were honored . Others, like me, sat out, unpaid, and waited for them to call me back if/when they were ready.
They called in the National Guard to help take our place. (?!?) And started paying through the nose for travel nurses. This, in turn, motivated some staff to quit and become travel nurses.. the inequity in pay was drastic. Their labor costs sky-rocketed.
Hindsight is always best. I also realize that many will not agree with my assessment. It's much more complicated than I've written here. It all just makes me sad... As usual, the least among us in our community will suffer the most. The indigent, the psychiatric patients, the elderly, the children. This will have a ripple effect for our community. I pray for all the new nurse grads. May they carry on with skill and compassion. But may we, in the community, also all take a long hard look at the current state of health care in our country.... we can and must do better.
I was Chief of Staff and attended board meetings during the decision to build Riverbend. Your article doesn't mention the detrimental role of City government in that process. The approved zoning to allow PH to build on a prepared site near Costco was rescinded in the midst of the process. Remodeling the University Hospital was $100,000,000 more expensive than building Riverbend. Freeway access was poor at University site. Growth projections suggested that population would be added to the North.
PH tried to make the best, tough decision and continues to be criticised for it
I've been an RN for 44 years. I worked at PH for 20 years. The pay was never an issue for me. It was the working conditions. I would have taken a pay cut if it meant better work conditions. (I realize not all think like me) And even then, I'd still be there today, in a heart beat, if my old job was available.
PeaceHealth has a beautiful mission statement, but I am perplexed as to how, over and over again, they seem to make decisions that appear counter to it. Ie, they seemed to value appearances- or the latest medical craze. over efficiency and genuine patient-centered care. RIverbend is beautiful, but, from a staff RNs viewpoint, inefficient in design. They'd asked for our input on the design but did not follow our suggestions. Peace Health has amazing, compassionate and skilled employees-the best, IMHO -but the leaders just don't seem to get it. I realize they have to have $$ to stay afloat, but then why so many decisions that put appearances over care? (Why do they treat the hospitalists, their backbone, the way they do? ) Why did - and do- the CEOs keep getting huge increases in salary? I realize that this is just how it's done in our country. But still...
The pandemic was a huge blow. Initially, when I was not allowed to wear a mask at work (yes, you read correctly), I took a short leave of absence, as I was concerned about bringing a virus home to my family that, as yet, so little was known about, and I felt they were not taking it seriously enough. ...Then they went the opposite extreme. Closing not just to visitors, but to many other valuable and potentially life saving health services, as they waited for the surge... which never came to us. Nurses were being paid to do jobs such as take temperatures at the front entrance, (as if that was going to screen out those with the virus?) as there was little to no work for them on the units.
Then, 9 months after the vaccine came out - long after we on the front lines noted that it was not a sterilizing vaccine, (and even, by then, the CDC had admitted this) -they came out with their mandate. It did not matter if you had already had covid or had worked throughout the pandemic- exposed multiple times- and never had symptoms or tested positive. It did not matter if you had a medical issue that made you high risk for a reaction. It did not matter if you believed MRNA technology could be unsafe and they were not able to answer your concerns about it. (They just ignored my questions- and yes, I asked respectfully.) You were out.
Many staff members relented at that time and took the shots, but it hurt morale, which was already low by then. Some went to other nearby hospitals, where their exemptions (medical or religious) were honored . Others, like me, sat out, unpaid, and waited for them to call me back if/when they were ready.
They called in the National Guard to help take our place. (?!?) And started paying through the nose for travel nurses. This, in turn, motivated some staff to quit and become travel nurses.. the inequity in pay was drastic. Their labor costs sky-rocketed.
Hindsight is always best. I also realize that many will not agree with my assessment. It's much more complicated than I've written here. It all just makes me sad... As usual, the least among us in our community will suffer the most. The indigent, the psychiatric patients, the elderly, the children. This will have a ripple effect for our community. I pray for all the new nurse grads. May they carry on with skill and compassion. But may we, in the community, also all take a long hard look at the current state of health care in our country.... we can and must do better.
I was Chief of Staff and attended board meetings during the decision to build Riverbend. Your article doesn't mention the detrimental role of City government in that process. The approved zoning to allow PH to build on a prepared site near Costco was rescinded in the midst of the process. Remodeling the University Hospital was $100,000,000 more expensive than building Riverbend. Freeway access was poor at University site. Growth projections suggested that population would be added to the North.
PH tried to make the best, tough decision and continues to be criticised for it
Lee Michels,M.D.
Perhaps Kaiser-Permanente can take over University District hospital.
Thanks for your past and present work!
Thank you for writing this and your other letters. What is your new job?