Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Burke's Law....8/4

No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. Edmund Burke
A Burke quote was used in a comment in Holly's thread, and I remembered the name of an old TV show that was on late at night when I was on the coast a while back, hence the title. I like the thumbnail philosophy, it makes everything seem black and white (like a 1963 cop show?)

My case is kind of like Holly's, wanting to help, but having no available avenue. Then digging into the situation and finding deeper problems.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

If the blog is squashed by a lawsuit, does that really reassure the public? All it shows is that a large corporation can step on an individual.

There actually have been positive changes, merit raises coming back, bonuses(!!!?), and the like. Would that have happened without outside influence?

Would you like to know what I would really like to have happen?


A sliding ceiling for pay(based on inflation)--so that you can have a
possiblility of a cost-of-living raise, no matter if you're topped out.


A suggestion review committee comprised of staff and administration...50/50.


An inscentive program for the suggestions. If it saves money, a percentage goes to the person that suggested the idea.


More PRN staff hired. There is a slight hike in overhead, but it would allow the phase down the agency and temp personnel.


Maybe that ought to be on the next survey.....

5 comments:

Dee Martin said...

I agree with all of that. I have heard people say we shouldn't talk negative about our town and hospital but if you don't identify the problem, how can you ever fix it? By the same token, if all that is ever done is kvetching and no improvements happen then you have an altogether new problem.
I hope the blog isn't squashed but I also hope to see some positives come out of it. It would be a shame to go through all this and have little or nothing to show for it. There ARE problems no matter what some folks want to say (especially well known folks who are given the royal treatment at the facility). Yes there are folks who have had good experiences there. There have just been too many who have had major problems. It's kind of like the blind men describing the elephant. Each describes their little piece and the end result is a very inaccurate picture of an elephant.

I hope that if nothing else has been accomplished that at least the community awareness has been raised. Good luck to you and hang in there.

Anonymous said...

Having worked in one of the predecessor facilities and having been "topped out", I can attest to how nice it is to get a market-adjustment increase of salary. At my present facility, I got the very same thing last month. That little bit, coupled with a licensure bonus and shift diff, keeps me from going down the road to the Metroplex, or leaving the area altogether.

If Hud and his minions would ever get it thru their thick skulls to reward the lifers and long-termers in such a fashion, it would do wonders to the ego. It would also be a start to making employees feel better about themselves & their facility.

But with the policy of "we ain't hiring anybody else, so work harder" policy in force, it only serves to drag them down.

Again, it will take an entirely new ownership and management team for these things to happen, and Essent ain't it. Niether is Dux and his silly quotes.

Anonymous said...

I was thinking: 9-11 was planed for years ahead of time. We were offered the opportunity to have Osama given to us on a silver platter--and turned it down.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Is that the case here? What would have happened if the medical community had stepped up to the plate and BOUGHT the hospital?

Frank wouldn't be sitting on a limb, we wouldn't have Duxboy and Essent, and maybe, just maybe, we'd have a hospital that people would want to go to.

Nice thought, but the Civil War was still being fought here: North vs South (campuses).

Funny, but had the physicians bought into a joint effort (they know the strengths and weaknesses of the facilities) we might have had something.

There were also restrictions on self-referrals.

But think of this: How many physicians have a retirement plan? This could have been that. Revenue long past retirement and far safer than a Rabbi Trust.

Yeah, we got burned by the Outpatient Surgical debachal, but that was run by Christus...or not run....

If the opportunity presents itself, let's do some figuring....

Anonymous said...

When I resigned from PRMC this year, I was told we don't need no stinking PRN nurses. No, we don't need you at all. You are already trained, know our physicians, other staff, and our system but we don't want you anymore. If you aren't going to be here full-time, then just go on down the road. I guess when someone is out on vacation or extended illness or the case loads are just heavy, the remaining staff has to buck up and take up the slack. I'm sure that my PRN rate would have been cheaper than an agency rate or that Seasonal Pool rate. Not that I really miss the place, but I wouldn't mind getting caught up with my coworkers.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all of your points. I remember the first time I wrote in to the blog. My question was "What can we do?" Griping and bitching and complaining doesn't seem to get us anywhere. Well, I did something. I tried to make it better, when I saw that the management...administration had the beat you into submission mentality and be damn glad you have a job, so shut up and do it, I quit. I found another hospital not too far away that wasn't in the same mindset or financial difficulties that PRMC is facing. It was a great move and not one that I regret. I just wish that I could have done MORE or could do something now, even. I ask the same question that I did over a year ago.."What do we do?" "How can we make it better?" We obviously hate Essent, but they're not going anywhere soon. So, we need to find a way to make positive changes at the hospital for the people of our town and also for ourselves. I'm an outsider looking in now... thank you Jeus, but there has to be something that can be done, other than complain and gripe and do nothing.