Nursing Registry specializing in Per Diem Nursing, Travel Nursing, Cardiac Cath Lab, International Nurses, Allied Healthcare, Employment Services and more.

Who Does It

Concerned about the increase in medical errors, the Joint Commission has warned of a decline in trust among hospital employees. With this decline comes an increase in medical errors.

What Can Be Done

Hospitals need to adopt standards of conduct that apply to everyone from the Medical Director down to the housekeeping staff. Penalties would be the same for physicians as well as for engineers.

Civility training would be a requirement just like sexual harassment training would be a requirement for all newly hired staff…meaning residents that often harass nurses, senior nurses who often “eat their young,” and so on and so on.

How To React To Bullying

We have all witnessed the irate physician screaming or speaking in a demeaning manner to the nurse; often in front of the patient and or family. Of course, the normal reaction may be to give the jerk a piece of your mind right then and there…however, the more professional way to handle the situation is to ask the physician to step outside, guide him to a private location and frankly tell him, with a smile on your face, that you will not tolerate that sort of treatment from him or any other physician. Your ultimate goal is the same as his, QUALITY PATIENT CARE.

This brings me to my final message…nurses need to defend nurses, not look for ways to sabotage one another. Most nurses entered the profession to help others. Remember, others is also our fellow workers. Think about it! – Donna Couturié, Director of Clinical Operations

Do you remember the feelings you had on the first shift you worked as a registry/agency nurse? Sure, you had years of experience, but that was at your “home” hospital. Now you were starting a shift not knowing anyone or anything about the facility. If you think about it, that is how all new graduate nurses feel. We’ve all been newly licensed nurses trying to find our way.

Now, as a more experienced nurse, if you see someone who could use a helping hand, do you offer advice or do you hide behind the title Registry Nurse and avoid getting involved.

It doesn’t matter if you are an employee of the hospital or just there for the shift as “outside registry.” We all have an obligation to step up and help those nurses just starting out.

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Food for Thought…Wise Words of Wisdom from Experienced Nurses.

• The Nursing Profession has no room for bullies or whiners.
• Every day I’ve held a hand but forgot to chart vitals, I still may have come out ahead.
• Nursing is the hardest and easiest thing you’ll ever do.
• Healing the spirit is as important as healing the mind.
• If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have energy to care for anyone else.
• If I don’t get emotionally involved with my patients, it’s time to change professions.
• The more unloving a patient acts; the more he needs to be loved.
• If I can’t cure, I can still CARE!

Donna Couturié, Director of Clinical Operations

January 2011 hasn’t started out to be a good year for me or my family. The second day of the New Year found me in a hospital emergency room, with my husband as the patient. As I left the hospital that night, leaving him in the hands of people I didn’t know and in an environment I am no longer that familiar with, I must admit to being more than a little unnerved.

However, the next morning, when I walked into his hospital room and was greeted by his nurse I felt immediate relief. This nurse had been trained by Westways as part of our International Nurse Program.

Riza Y., RN, is an outstanding example of how well prepared the foreign nurses are once they complete their training. As I watched how she cared for my husband and how well informed she kept me and my family of his condition, I had such a sense of pride in the company that helped this young nurse to be the professional she is today. – Donna Couturié, Director of Clinical Operations

As the Christmas tree comes down and the last bit of New Year’s confetti is swept away, we all must face the looming issue of HOW TO PAY THE CHRISTMAS BILLS!

Maybe it’s been a while since you gave any availability and you’re wondering if you can just call and get right back in…the answer is YES! Westways always needs good nurses and if you’ve worked for us in the past, it only takes a simple phone call to update your file. If you have a favorite hospital, just let the staffing office know your preference and our friendly staffers will be sure to book you there. Maybe you’ve let your TB or physical lapse, no problem. We have clinics that we can refer you to that will get you in and out without an appointment.

Westways has accepted several new contracts with hospital systems both large and small, and with the addition of these facilities, the need for quality nurses is greater than ever. So, don’t stress when the Macy’s bill arrives in the mail and it looks like the NATIONAL DEBT…simply give us a call and tell us when you want to work. Don’t forget to bring a friend, because if your friend works…you can get paid. – Donna Couturié, Director of Clinical Operations