Where Have All the Nurses Gone?

I'm from the midwest. What scares me is the number of people entering the nursing proffesion simply because it's one of the few jobs available. ....However, I believe the A.N.A. and we as nurses are very much to blame for our situation. If we had 1/4 the lobby on capital hill as physicians, our conditions and patients satisfaction and safety would improve. If nurses want to be treated as TRUE proffessionals, then some things must change. (Including my spelling) Minimum education for R.N. 4 Yrs. Stronger lobbying and advertising including recruitment. Every nurse knows that we are the eyes, ears and senses of the physicians. If a nurse fails to be a patient advocate, or is overextended with patients and misses a symptom, dire consequences can happen. Where was the A.N.A when the study came out concerning the number of healthcare related mistakes resulting in death and injury each year. How many were due to poor physician handwriting. How many were due to understaffing or undertraining. Why are so many nurses leaving the field and why do so few enter. These are all questions that the public needs to be made aware of. ...
However, the average R.N. and nursing in general has a much tougher time in defining themselves and what they do. This is the area where I believe the A.N.A. has failed us most.