I am a nurse at a large metropolitan school district. This year, because of COVID, our work responsibilities basically tripled. We have all been working long days, staying sometimes 2-3 extra hours because there are not enough hours in the workday to get everything done. This is unpaid time, of course. (I even did work from home while I had COVID myself, also unpaid since I had run out of sick time, because I am an idiot.)
We get lots of thanks from management, but no bonuses and no retention incentives, while they accept our free labor.
Well, because enrollment has dropped dramatically, we are losing funding and nursing FTE is being slashed. So we are now being told to ask our individual schools to buy up our time – basically fund a portion of our FTE. They actually gave us talking points to present to our building leadership to argue why they need a nurse.
I guess this is common practice? But after all the humiliations we endured this year, this just feels like one humiliation too many.
After all the exploitation we’ve been subjected to this year, now we have to beg for money and argue the case as to why we are needed? GTFOH
This feels like the cherry on top of the nastiest demoralization cake I have ever tasted.
Maybe I will hang on through the end of the school year. Maybe I won’t, seeing my work is not needed after all 🤷️