Recruiter called this morning with a strike contract. Five days, ICU, the money is genuinely stupid. Like more than I make in a month at my staff job.
Part of me says those patients still need nurses and someone's going to fill it, might as well be someone competent. The other part of me feels sick thinking about walking past nurses on the picket line who are fighting for the exact stuff I complain about on here every week.
I know people have strong feelings about this. Have any of you done one? Did you regret it or am I overthinking it?
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Post replyWhat gets me is that these hospitals always claim there's no money for safe ratios, but somehow there's a bottomless budget for replacement nurses at 4x the rate. Tells you everything about what they're actually fighting for.
Is your current hospital union? Because if you ever end up striking yourself, you'll remember exactly how it felt to watch the replacement buses roll in. Ask me how I know.
If you do go, read the contract carefully. Some agencies only pay the big rate if the strike lasts the full five days and they cancel the rest the minute a deal is reached. Also find out what your orientation looks like, because it's usually a two hour video and then you're on your own with an unfamiliar charting system.
Unpopular take but I don't think strike nurses are villains. The hospital decides whether to settle, not you. If nobody shows up, the patients get diverted or sit with a skeleton crew of managers who haven't titrated a drip in a decade. Feeling conflicted is fair, but don't let anyone tell you it's purely black and white.
You already answered your own question with the second paragraph.
Did one in 2019. Money was exactly what they promised. Walking through the line at 0530 with security escorting our van was the worst part of my career, and I still think about the faces.