[Hellllllo Nurse]

This reporter actually gets it- great article on the real factors behind the so-called nursing shortage.

A Critical Shortage of Nurses
Low pay for a grueling job keeps many Americans out of the field—and that spells trouble as baby boomers age

The U.S. is facing a severe nursing shortage. Already, an estimated 8.5% of the nursing positions in the U.S. are unfilled—and some expect that number to triple by 2020 as 80 million baby boomers retire and expand the ranks of those needing care. Hospital administrators and nurses' advocates have declared a staffing crisis as the nursing shortage hits its 10th year, the longest stretch in 50 years.

There are 500,000 registered nurses who are not practicing their profession -- fully one-fifth of the current RN workforce of 2.5 million and enough to fill current vacancies twice over.

Read article in its entirety:

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...tm?chan=search

[elkpark]

There are 500,000 registered nurses who are not practicing their profession -- fully one-fifth of the current RN workforce of 2.5 million and enough to fill current vacancies twice over.

V. good article -- and it makes the point that many of us have made here on this board before: There is no nursing shortage (currently, although I don't dispute that there will be in the not-too-distant future with the aging Boomer population), there is only a shortage of nurses willing to put up with the current working conditions in hospitals. Someone finally gets it right!

[surfer betty crocker]

is there really no nursing shortage? being a new grad, does this mean that i will have trouble finding work?:mortarboard:

[oramar]

Yes good article, take time to read the comments also.

[mommie2bodie]

I was a CNA at a nursing home last year. After a few days I started realizing 'wow! I have never worked with this many philipinnos before!' I was curious why so I asked my nurse supervisor (who was philipinno)about it and she said that the nursing home paid their way over to the US for an agreement to work for them a certain amount of time. At first I was like well thats cool for them but then I later learned that they did this in order to keep from having to hire more Americans and pay them alot more. There was 1 american nurse to every 3 Philipinno nurses. I have nothing against other nationalites, but this just seems wrong to me.

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by mommie2bodie

I was a CNA at a nursing home last year. After a few days I started realizing 'wow! I have never worked with this many philipinnos before!' I was curious why so I asked my nurse supervisor (who was philipinno)about it and she said that the nursing home paid their way over to the US for an agreement to work for them a certain amount of time. At first I was like well thats cool for them but then I later learned that they did this in order to keep from having to hire more Americans and pay them alot more. There was 1 american nurse to every 3 Philipinno nurses. I have nothing against other nationalites, but this just seems wrong to me.

they are not supposed to do this, immigration has it set down that foreign nurses are supposed to be paid the same as US nurses, one of the reasons nurses go for the greencard as it offers them this protection.

[YellowFinchFan]

really interesting article!

[caroladybelle]

Originally Posted by Silverdragon102

they are not supposed to do this, immigration has it set down that foreign nurses are supposed to be paid the same as US nurses, one of the reasons nurses go for the greencard as it offers them this protection.

It is not SUPPOSED to work that way, but is often still done here.

Employers offer low wages and poor conditions here, such that no local nurses that know the facility will work there. Then they plead "Nursing Shortage" to get permit to hire foreign nurses for those low wages. Instead of improving conditions or paying a better wage. Many of us have seen this happen repeatedly.

Nurses that are contracted also do not have the freedom to just leave the facility without paying large fees. Thus, the facility has more control over their employees - they can treat them poorly, with less risk of them quitting.

As far as new grads, one can always find a nursing job. But some of them may not be what you want, with the good staffing, or appropriate wages.

[joshuaha]

The one issue that people seem to forget is the desperate need that other countries have of nurses. By importing nurses from thier homelands, we are depriving healthcare starved nations of the primary caregivers needed for safe patient care. I am all for the importation of qualified canidates, but save America and the rest of the world be cursed?! It seems awfully short sighted on our parts.

[momthenRN]

I am trying to go back to work after a 5 year break and quite frankly, the hospitals have literally snubbed my attempts to get back. I have taken the refresher course and applied in many departments. I am a bit afraid of what I am getting into. Is the staffing that terrible? Will I be able to deal with it? Are they afraid they will have to pay me more due to the fact that I had been a nurse for 7 years before my break? Maybe I SHOULD NOT go back to hospital nursing!!!!