Could Obamacare cause a shortage in nursing again

Nurses Activism

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I would really like to know how you believe Obama care will affect the medical field and be honest. I would expect that it would create more jobs but the work would be very tiring. There would be no 3/12 but 4/12 or 3/15 with rooming/bedding at hospital.

Common sense dictates : more consumers ..covered under government MANDATED health care.

equals... we need a boatload more of nurses.

I agree but I believe that the venues where these nurses are employed will gradually change. You will gradually see more home health care nurses and less hospital nurses, as govt mandated insurance will be less likely to pay for long hospital stays deemed "unnecessary". It's IMO already beginning to happen. The trick for new nurses is to find a way to get that few years of acute care hospital experience that every nurse really needs, before you settle into your career of home health, hospice, clinic, assisted living care, etc.

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Sink that boat. There are too many nurses already. New grads and even experienced nurses can't find work. There are already way too many nurses, just too few decent employers, employers who offer good pay and benefits, who respect their staff. One example: giving only 25 days PTO per a whole YEAR and making staff use it to cover ALL time off, including sick, vacation, emergency, & holidays. Fooey on that. I repeat - sink the boat, just make the Captain Bligh's out there treat the crew right.

Not really too many. Just too many in the "wrong" places. The demand will still be there, but the demographics will shift and already are. Someday most nurses will be employed outside of a hospital - as much as 80% by some estimates. And don't hold your breath about making the "Capt. Blighs" out there do anything. MONEY is what drives all of this, and that is what they respond to. If the admin's of a health entity were given a dollar every time the crew were treated right, then you would see them change in that regard

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How could anyone not see that the infusion of up to 80 million additional insured will have an impact on nursing? I guess one could look at the staffing response to the Affordable Care Act to date and think nothing will change, but our present inaction and failure to prepare for the next five years is a recipe for major unecessary growing pains. Long story short, nursing demand will explode as insurers will undoubtably begin to justify phyician time as a luxury, and the (cheaper) time of an NP and RN as necessity. If you are curious about this even more - join this webinar I just got in my inbox yesterday -

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103590429238-172/Nursing+Community+ACA+Webinar+Flyer+2013.pdf

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
There's certainly a lot of naysaying going on here!

Well, in "The Simpsons" that happens a lot, too....

With more preventive work being done, initially more patients will arrive at hospitals, as they'll have coverage. Hopefully they'll have the will to get better, and stay healthier. Since less illness will occur, eventually fewer people will be unemployed, as they'll be well enough to work and show more initiative. If they become greener, having more capacity to do more for their communities, there will be less polution in the air we breathe, so fewer advanced respiratory cases will be happening (way down the road). Healthier oeople are usually happier people, so there could be a decrease in mental illnesses......

I'm a supreme optimist (obviously), and I have the will to see those things as possibilities! Having attained many years of life, I've seen many changes happen in healthcare and in people. Advances that weren't even dreamed, have happened! It wasn't easy and the future still holds stressors that lead to disease. I'm convinced that better understanding and stratigizing will bring about great changes.

Think not of dire consequences, but of doors opening that challenge and amaze, bringing peoples' potential to bear.

I agree :yes: and those changes were during previous economic upheavals.

Another poster stated a valid point that there are people building and expanding while cutting back and keeping skeleton staff. There are changes coming and expansion. There are man changes coming. The only thing one can do is be prepared, and be in a position to be career -flexible as they can, if possible.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I hope "been there, done that" is right as well.

I am finishing my BSN and I have no idea what direction to go precisely because of health care reform. I have so many questions, do I get a DNP? Masters? Hang out and see what happens before indebting myself further to expand my nursing education and role? How can I ensure my advanced education will get me where I want to be in ANY of the 50 states (differing requirements, military wife...).

I have been wondering the same, I know the military hospitals have no budget and things like hand sanitizer and soap are now being sequestered (in the local large military hospital where I am). Things seem to be transitioning in a way that makes it very hard for me to get a feel for what I as a nurse need to do and where I need to be!

At this moment, be in a position to be career-flexible as possible. Stay involved with local orgs and chapters; find out unbiased information and seek out nurse policy makers (I know a few :yes:)

Nothing has happened, yet...research your area if you want to get your masters of DNP...there's money that is available that is not directly involved with the fiscal budget to go towards nurse-focused research that can help with schooling and post graduate work. If anything else, funding for nurse researched and other grants have not been cut, which is promising for anyone who desires a graduate and doctorate degree in this field.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I agree but I believe that the venues where these nurses are employed will gradually change. You will gradually see more home health care nurses and less hospital nurses, as govt mandated insurance will be less likely to pay for long hospital stays deemed "unnecessary". It's IMO already beginning to happen. The trick for new nurses is to find a way to get that few years of acute care hospital experience that every nurse really needs, before you settle into your career of home health, hospice, clinic, assisted living care, etc.

There is a push for infusion clinics, as well as free standing specialty surgi-centers as well.

To me, the trick to new nurses in being success flu is thinking like a nurse; assessment, teaching and advocacy are still needed, and can be learned outside of the hospital setting. :yes:

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Specializes in Dialysis.

And due to the lower pay of government paid healthcare, may pay less with the expectation of more work load, driving more away....I can hardly wait for the festivities to begin :scrying:

Common sense dictates : more consumers ..covered under government MANDATED health care.

equals... we need a boatload more of nurses.

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I don't really think this will be the case as right now there are mandates that if a patient on Medi... returns to the hospital within 30 days for the same Dx that they were admitted for the hospital can not bill for that subsequent stay.

If a Hospital's business model does not take this new mandate to heart, they will suffer some serious financial losses. We have AM rounding at the hospital that I work at and those "frequent flyers" garner more attention during rounds. Routine questions sum up what can be done to prevent a readmission for the same Dx.

With more people insured there will definitely be a need for more nurses; however Hospitals are no longer places of healthcare and well being but places of business that must turn a profit in order for share holders to be happy. Healthy patients are no longer the goal of most hospitals now they just want happy clients. It will be a minute. I believe it will only take one major lawsuit against a hospital on negligence to be won by a former patient to kick the smart owners into gear.

SN: There needs to be a cesation of hospitals trying to find the cheapest labor possible.

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Pretty simple, the wealthy will obtain their care offshore, the average American will be acquainted with Hospice. The money will be in death panel care. Go there for employment and good luck.

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Does this mean that nurses' pay is dictated by the government as well? How will this impact nursing education with the average age of nurse educators (Doctoral & Masters prepared) in the mid-to late 50s? What will happen to nursing programs in general? The decisions made at the national level have the potential to impact potential nurses, nurses, and educators at all levels from PN to PhD. What are your thoughts?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Pretty simple, the wealthy will obtain their care offshore, the average American will be acquainted with Hospice. The money will be in death panel care. Go there for employment and good luck.

I've never really understood what "death panel" care, what does that refer to?

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death panel care means "rationing". Some people get life saving procedures and others do not. Remember the little girl who was initially denied a life saving lung transplant ? In the future public outcry will have NO bearing on final decisions.

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