We're afraid to speak up because we fear reprisals from management. Many of us are single mothers and support families. Managed care is responsible for many of the problems. Managers are caught between advocating for overworked nurses and trying to bolster the bottom line. We're responsible for the patients.
Patients are needier and more hostile.
We practice more defensive nursing, worrying about liability issues. Nurses are the last defense against medication errors, but we can't be in two rooms at once. With short staffing, patients need an advocate. As for the nurse shortage, the best way to address it is to make those of us working now happier, and we'll spread the word. Sure, we want fair wages.