staffing rally in the Burg

>Marc Cammarata, of the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania, said he thought the "political capital" being spent on the pushing mandatory staffing ratios would be better used in locating $250 million in funding for the federal Nurse Reinvestment Act, which would set up grants and scholarships for nurse education. The bill signed by President Bush set up a statutory framework but was not funded.>

Congratulations Pennsylvannia Nurses ! I think Mr. Cammarata needs to be on the 'receiving end' of an understaffed, overworked hospital unit in a crisis situation. Perhaps then he could appreciate what we see on a daily basis. Setting up grants and scholarships for nurse education is not going to keep qualified, experienced professional nurses in the field. Lessening the extrordinary work load and paying them their true worth would.

I am a native Pittsburger and plan on beginning my clinicals next fall. I agree with Oramar and Chart. While tuition reimbursement would be nice there is a reason people are not going into the field of nursing in the first place. And tossing money at people just to get them to go to nursing school isn't the answer. Doesn't mean they actually stick with nursing when they get out as we have clearly seen in the past.

<Setting up grants and scholarships for nurse education is not going to keep qualified, experienced professional nurses in the field. Lessening the extrordinary work load and paying them their true worth would>

True but have any of you actually READ the Nusre Reinvestment Act???? Thats exactly what its about! It is not JUST about funding education for new nurses or for experienced nurses to advance their own education to become much-needed nursing instructors. It ALSO includes funding for hospitals to institute workplace improvements that will RETAIN nurses at the bedside. Hospitals keep saying they have no money to make the improvements we need in work environment & employment conditions. The Nurse Reinvestment Act gives them some of that money in grants specifically for that purpose!

We need to get on our Congressmen & Senators to get them to allocate the $250 million needed to actually put the law into practice & get the ball rolling on all of that. Thats who your letters should be going to.

Go Pittsburgh nurses!! I also am from Pittsburgh - lived there for 30 years and loved every minute of it. Hopefully they will get what they wish for. I agree, he needs to be on the receiving end of short staffing to truly understand.