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

Iam46yearsold · Nov 30, 2008

When you consider all the heat that the VA has taken in the news post Bushs illegal war and they way wounded are taken care of. They are just trying to avoid the same kind of whiplash they got after Nam and the way vets were treated back then. Also look at the limits that they have to live with in financial support, after Bushs illegal activities have Bankrupted this proud country. And has ruins the entire financial sector and outlook of the country. Bush and Rove and all of that group have tried to ruin this proud country.

Hopefully Obama and the team he is putting together will set things right. It will take them time to correct all the damage done.

South1009 · Dec 1, 2008

I agree. The VA needs more money to run. I can know that we were not ready to treat the soldiers the day the war started and we are no more ready now knowing they were going to be coming back and what shape they were going to be coming back in. I do think that Bush/Federal Government new we were going to have to take care of the soldiers when they got home. I know that our hospital is no where near ready to treat the PTSD and other mental disorders that these soldiers/kids are coming home with. I asked our Director about it. She said that Washington is going to have to come up with money. We are not able to recruit Mental Health doctors because for one thing that isn't a popular field for doctors. VA Hospital's don't pay their doctors near what the private sector makes so they won't come to VA to work. Let's Pray for Change.

lindarn · Dec 2, 2008

The Government doesn't have a clue--they just think they do. Just remember Hillary Clinton's comment, "RN's get paid too much!!!!" This from a woman who thought she'd "reinvent" Healthcare, and was married to President "B.J." Clinton (go figure!).
Firstly, they don't realize that most of the "Baby Boomer" nurses are either quitting due to increasingly unbearable working conditions, retiring, or going to work in flower shops, where there is far less stress.
Secondly, the patient population is increasing due to the growing number of older patients. The shortage is hitting us from both ends.
In addition, a recent survey showed that 70% of all working first year R.N.s say they plan to get out of nursing within the next year. That makes it a triple whammy!
I solved my nursing burn-out problem by quitting nursing in Dec. of 2001, beginning to sell art & collectibles on eBay and opening up an Amazon book seller's account this past year. That way, I can go to work at my computer in my underwear and not sweat the stress of working on a busy and often dangerous Psych floor with almost no help, with doctors who think they're God, and Administrators who just care about making a buck off of unfortunate sick people.
I plan to become a CLNC. With the increasing number of "medical mistakes" being made due to the shortage (which is going to get much worse!), this seems to me like a legal gold mine.
For those of you who plan to stay in nursing for awhile, I would suggest striking en masse against these conditions. I remember years ago when the San Francisco garbage collectors went on strike in the 1970s. After everybody's trash heaped up for a few days, the Trash Men got close to a 100% pay raise, which meant they were making more than I was making as a young, new psych nurse.
Believe me: it wouldn't take long for the hospitals, suddenly finding themselves almost devoid of nurses to realize the error of their ways and act speedily to rectify their suddenly desperate situation. Their immediate response would probably be a huge increase in pay, which would be a beginning, at least. I would also suggest the possibility of forming strong Nursing Unions, like the Teamsters did.

I made that same suggestion just last week, about nursing will never get what it should when, an until, we all go on a nationwide strike like the Post Office did in March of 1970. They brought this country to its knees in just three days. That was all it took.

The remarks were, how hard it would be to organize a strike of that magnitude, and how unethical it was to leave the patients with no one to care for them.

While I agree with that to some extent, I do feel that nothing that nursing has done to the present, has improved wages, working conditions (except the CNA), and benefits, and the respect that we really do not receive.

As I stated in my previous thread, the public may state that we are the most ethical profession, but actions speak louder than words.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Iam46yearsold · Dec 2, 2008

We can not treat the vets of this country as shabbily as our Government did after Nam. My father was treated terribly. Led to his early demise. In fact I am thinking of leaving private hospitals and going to work at the VA, just do my what little I can.

Nora777 · Dec 11, 2008

For the past 2 years I was watching local hospitals websites and saw a lot of open full-time positions for nurses, about 40 to 60 per every hospital, and about 80-120 for a big hospital.

I checked websites last week and there are about 15-30 listings per hospital... Out of them only 5-6 are full-time jobs, the rest are per diem with no benefits or part-time.

If there ever was a nursing shortage, it's gone.

I know girls that graduated in July 08 (RN-BSN), and are still looking for a job!!! Hospitals do not want to take new grads.

I am graduating in May and I am scared... :crying2:

Mechi · Dec 29, 2008

The only way we can change our profession and received our respect and good benefits is to get involved in the recent discussion about health care changes. The shortage is at bedside nursing not at the higher levels . Nurses are moving away from bedside and dictating the policies and procedures to follow at bedside. High level nurses are forgetting the reality of the nursing careers "to care and help Patients".As soon as they get up they take care of their positions and CEO standards and yearly bonuses .A nurse manager need to keep the budget even though their bedside nurses are burned out. They will never come to help them at bedside .

lymphnode · Dec 30, 2008

:kissIt feels so good to be needed. I thank God everyday for this nrsg skill I inherited. I do not believe the gov knows everything but during their inspection time, I let them believe they know it all.

WondeRNurse · Jan 10, 2009

My heart goes out to you and your family. But, FYI, I am taking care of a Nam vet who has been treated pitifully by the VA. His words were: "They throw dirt in my face." Of course, that is from a man who was diagnosed with prostate cancer one year, and informed about it 2 years later. Perhaps, if you entered the world of the VA, you could begin to make a difference. Blessings to you and yours.

andeam · Mar 7, 2009

NO, you would think if this shortage was really taken seriously the government would make it easier to get a degree in nursing. Teachers get extra grant money, why shouldn't nurses? The only way to fix our healthcare problem is to make sure there are healthcare providers.

Being a student and currently trying to afford my tuition for nursing school, I find it absurd that the government will help in other careers that are short on people, but not nursing!!!!!!!!!

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2009

I did not vote in the poll, because I don't think there is a nursing shortage. I think there is a good working conditions for nurses shortage.

BradleyRN · Mar 8, 2009

I did not vote in the poll, because I don't think there is a nursing shortage. I think there is a good working conditions for nurses shortage.

With the appropraite nurse to pt ratios, there is. But as long as they can stretch us a little thinner, as they are doing in many places using the excuse of the recession, then maybe not. Are the patients less sick in a recession, that allows a 6 pt ratio to jump to 8? This system deserves a nursing shortage.:)