Can anyone tell me why there is a nurse shortage???

RyanRN · Aug 4, 2002

SIX FIGURES ! , where do YOU work Texman? I mean if your NOT at the bedside and are willing to work 7 nights a week and maybe have a wife at home -- but it's not that prevalent as far as I can see.

Texman · Aug 4, 2002

Travelers can work four shifts a week and do well over six figures, nearly six with three shifts a week in a specialty area (ER, ICU, OR, L&D). The money is out there for anybody willing to go and get it.

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 4, 2002

You should NOT have to leave your family all the time and sell out to the "highest bidder" to make six figures in nursing. With the some of the GRAVE risks health-wise and legally, and the and the knowledge and education we have, we should approach that anyhow! I know many friends and family members who have NO college and few credentials who make more than I do as a nurse. To me, this is a huge problem that contributes to the increasing shortage among our ranks. Think about it!

cmggriff · Aug 4, 2002

A thousand years ago, when I was a carpenter, I could make a living for me and my family with some risk to my life and responsible for the health and well being of no one else. As long as I could read a blue print and swing a hammer I could work.

Now, I am responsible for sometimes many lives in a shift. I am still at risk personally in the workplace both from patients and their diseases. And I have to maintain my license in good standing in order to keep my chosen profession. I am overseen by any number of people both qualified and not qualified to judge my performance. If someone merely accuses me of wrong doing in the work place the Board of Nursing will suspend or revoke first and ask quetions later. I once believed only "old" nurses ate the young, but now that I am "older" I find many young nurses meeting me with the attitude that I am some sort of dinosaur incapable of knowing what they know or leaning anything new. I get no credit from a lot of my peers for my experience unless I can produce some photocopy of a class I took.

Some days computers look really good as a career choice to me. Then I have one of "those moments" that only a nurse can experience. And it is suddenly worthwhile to me. I wonder why anyone would pick this field myself.

Hi Rick. Good to hear from you again. Gary

Mkue · Aug 4, 2002

there is also a shortage of nursing instructors to teach these people who save lives, because they don't want to pay the instructors what they are worth.

:)

welcome to the bb !!

fab4fan · Aug 4, 2002

Originally posted by Mattigan
CEN35 took the words right outta my mouth.

Ma-ttigan: I wanted to tell you...I love your quotes...do you know this one?

May those that love us, love us,

And those that don't love us,

May God turn their hearts,

And if he doesn't turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we'll know them by their limping.

MishlB · Aug 4, 2002

The whole 'eating their young' thing....not so far from the truth. As a new grad, I am perplexed as to why the veteran nurses are SO rude and difficult to get along with? I do not have a 'know it all' attitude, and look to them for guidance. Seems like they wopuld appreciate the help, instead of making us feel unwanted. I realize not every nurse is this way, but even one is too many.

eldernurse · Aug 4, 2002

I get coughed on, vomited on, cursed at, praised, exposed to any number of diseases, clean BM, wash dead people, clean up urine, make beds, wash beds, medicate, all in 48 hours a week. Then, every time I am home for any time at all, they call to find out if I can come in extra.

I missed the birth of my only granchild by a daughter of mine because I had to go to work. They couldn't cover me. I have missed family reunions, birthdays, funerals, dance recitals, plays, because I had to go to work. I haven't had Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day for over 20 years. Until recently I worked every other weekend, missing out on precious time with my husband.

Yes, it is important to be a nurse. It is important to be a patient advocate in such a cold and impersonal place as a hospital. The patients that don't appreciate what you give up to be there with them get you down. The nasty, unfriendly, downright mean-tempered and ignorant doctors that you work with, wear you down. The overworked, tired, residents who only want to dally with good time sally, get to you.

The professional doctors and residents, the kind and understanding patients are far a few between. Why is there a nursing shortage? Because somewhere along the line they made us masters of tasks not givers of care. They can quantify and charge for tasks, but "care" is too hard to put a price on.

Flo1216 · Aug 4, 2002

It also doesn't help that new nurses coming in often get treated like dirt by the ones already there. Maybe its the estrogen. Being a nurse is hard enough with having to put up with abuse from your coworkers. And of course the nurses that treat those who can potentially make their lives easier like garbage are the same ones bit**ing about how horrible their working conditions are because they don't have enough nurses. P.S. I love New Jersey.

Flo1216 · Aug 4, 2002

I have tickets to the Yankees on Friday and I can't go because they can't cover me either. They are good seats and I would have gotten a free-T shirt.

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 4, 2002

Ok now, the Military "eats" young recruits; Pro athletes often "eat" their newest players; school bullies"eat" the weakest kids on the playground; Experienced doctors DEFINATELY "eat" their newest interns/residents!!!

*YOUNG EATING IS NOT, repeat, NOT--- an ESTROGEN-dependent-XX-CHROMOSOME-ONLY AFFLICTION!!!!* IT is NOT just NURSING that "eats" its young, and it is not soley a FEMALE FLAW. Can we all get past this now and get down to WHAT IS REALLY CAUSING THE SHORTAGE???? :mad:

olympiad27 · Aug 4, 2002

Texman,

Are you saying you make that 6 figure income working 4 8 hour shifts a week or 4 12 hour shifts? Also, what about the benefits? If it is that good then more people need to hear about it. Do you mind sharing some of the details?