No reason to give your best to an employer like that. Continue to give the highest level of patient care possible, but I would not put any extra effort into any other duties of a job there.

Give up ongoing pay to receive a one-time bonus?

How does a nurse "give the highest level of patient care" and "not put any extra effort into any other duties" when, essentially, the job consists entirely of patient care? Maybe engage in sloppy record keeping? Except that doing so would rather seriously affect patient care. Please tell me what nurses do that would not affect patient care.

Tell them to shove their bonus, and at the expiration of the contract show up with axe handles in your hands and demand that they pay you what is fair and reasonable.

In fact, I know a few that quit because patient care was becoming less and less, with more time devoted to managing paperwork, logistics, supplies, etc. and performing duties that in the past were done by support staff.

This is also affecting doctors and lab workers as hospitals and labs merge and get consolidated to cut costs.

We seem to agree there is no point in putting extra effort for a bonus that takes away from earned benefits. This is a stupid decision and will result in a decrease in overall efficiency at the hospital.