Survey: Do you think the federal government is taking the nursing shortage seriously?

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 4, 2003

Originally posted by ocankhe
Let's see...the Nurse Reinvestment Act passed last year... with no money budgeted to implement it. Real serious [/quote
This succinct post says it all, folks.

Norbert Holz · Jan 4, 2003

I am greatly interested in the "nursing shortage." I read everything I can to keep myself better informed.

The Federal Government is:

Giving money to schools to train nurses.

Making loans available for students of nursing.

Allowing any nurse to enter the country to practice nursing.

Anything else?

These acts are similar to funding most higher education. Lax immigration allows the "free flow of professionals" from abroad.

What is the scope of the federal government? Should they (we) legislate all of our needs and wants? In the USA our system of government is designed to promote freedoms for individuals.

The rights and freedoms of Americans are being eroded quite quickly already! I desire our federal government to safeguard our individual freedoms, promote the richness of our country, maintaining our boarders, and ensure legislation toward those goals.

I do not want the federal government legislating the minutia of business and labor! I hope that the current laws doing this are repealed.

My ideal political candidate for office will be one that would begin with a red pen striking, repealing and eliminating current laws that go too far, and are unfair. We currently have intrusive and far-reaching laws written and enforced for special interest groups who contribute heavily to political campaigns. They cloud the focus and intent of our laws to cover their interests while leaving the average citizen subject to the unfair laws created and the burden of provideing funds to enact them.

The "shortage" situations currently being endured by nurses and most health care workers is all about pay and working conditions- market forces. There are enough licensed nurses to fill all positions available in the USA - without any from abroad. I suspect essentially the same is true in most countries as well. There is no "nursing shortage"!

The illusion of a nursing shortage is created by compensation for health care employees being maintained at low levels and poor staffing choices made by employers. Who wants to undergo the stressors and risks entailed in health care for the paltry compensation currently being offered and the working conditions maintained?

Engage sufficient numbers of personnel to perform the work necessary. They are currently available.

Pay the individuals enough to live as middle class (CNA's Maintenance, Dietary, Housekeeping) or upper middle class (RN's Lpn's) citizens on ONE INCOME! Funds to accomplish this are also currently available from the billions spent on health care in the USA.

Let the economics of the situation solve this situation. Legislation is not needed and would not serve to benefit nurses or other health care workers.

Increased demand should, in theory, raise the compensation. People will choose to be employed in these areas because the compensation is sufficient to assume the risks associated with the work.

baseline · Jan 4, 2003

Too little , too late. The entire heathcare system sucks. But thats another thread! (why is medicare always the primary payor when the patient has BC/BS..... for starters....)

lee1 · Jan 4, 2003

I would like to see an elected FEDERAL politician be an anonymous patient in a hospital WITHOUT all the hoopala that goes with political patients or without all the extra benefits that go with their medical insurances that we as tax payer give them. Do you think they dare????

They live on another level and decide other well being. That is something that should be stopped.

Trauma Columnist · Jan 4, 2003

No - the govt isn't taking the nursing shortage seriously. There is a shortage - of nurses working in nursing.

I too see the only way out of this situation (for me at least) is more education and I'm getting it.

The nurse reinvestment act was a step in the right direction, but w/o funding it is just a piece of paper.

Going80INA55 · Jan 4, 2003

YES the govnt is taking the "shortage" seriously, its just their focus us not on the "human factor side" or nurses side who are in the field slaving away.

Their focus is on the "business side", how they can infuse the hospitals with enough nurses to meet the "current" staffing ratios. That is why the nurse policy was passed but is also the same reason it was not funded.

Nursing is a business.

Great posts Norbert

Anagray, BSN · Jan 5, 2003

No. the government isn't taking it seriously and i say that judging just from my personal experience.

I am married with 1 and a half kids. We have a house in a nice area and 2 cars. I am going to school part time and can not recieve ANY financial aid, because , apparently, 60 K a year for a family is considered "well off" in NY state.

By the time I'm done with my associate's I will be 15 000 $ in debt.

Maybe i'm wrong, but this is the what I feel.

deespoohbear · Jan 6, 2003

No, the government is not taking the nursing shortage seriously. If it doesn't affect the politician personally, then they don't care....

Youda · Jan 6, 2003

When the average person finally understands that government and big business does not care about you, nurses, healthcare, etc., unless you happen to be "big business" then you will begin to understand that the government (at least under the Bush) has a completely different mindset. As long as what they are doing is making someone richer, "they" won't care about shortages, deaths, bad care, patient ratios, etc.

Brian, the only thing wrong with your poll is that you didn't include the option that the government "doesn't care" about the shortage. It isn't that they don't take it seriously, it's that they just "don't care" as long as that nice investor dividend check keeps arriving. Every attempt to correct the shortage problem through legislation at the national and state level has failed because the healthcare lobbyists have managed to persuade their Republican cronnies to vote against it.

pickledpepperRN · Jan 6, 2003

Unlike the gentleman from Tampa I think healthcare is a human right and basic service. We need the police, firefighters, and emergency ambulance personnel.

Why have paramedic transport without hospital and preventative care?

Here in Los Angeles we voters overwhelmingly voted ourselves a tax increase to keep our county hospitals especially ERs open.

Just look at the huge buildings owened by health insurance companies. No client or patient care is provided in them! THAT is where our health care dollar$ go.

Let the CEOs and polititians go to the hospital without ID. They may have their eyes opened.

Youda · Jan 6, 2003

>>

Ah, now there's the rub.

These people can afford the best of care, at private hospitals or private duty, so have no worries about healthcare or shortages.

nessa1982 · Jan 8, 2003

I feel the same way anagray "I am going to school part time and can not recieve ANY financial aid, because , apparently, 60 K a year for a family is considered "well off" in NY state. "

I cant get any financial aide because thats around what my dad makes. I go to a junior college becuase I cannot affor the cost of a 4 year university.

I also agree with the other posts about how there would be more nurses if they would just fairly compensate/treat nurses better.

I'm just a student and have already been offered jobs. I know I can do nursing when I'm yong but Im going to get my BSN because I know I will get burned out eventrually. I'm really looking forward to nursing, but Im also scared of what is ahead of me. Well, at least Ill have a job that pays better than the one I have now :)