Nursing Crisis

[dfwnurse]

For 28 I've been in nursing in the DFW metroplex and there has always been talk and concern about the nursing shortage. The nursing journals have been doing articles about the subject for years. We are suppose to have lobbyist working on our behalf for changes in legislature to improve working conditions and raise salaries to be competative enough to lure bright, competent

people into the profession. I'm a babyboomer

and anticipate needing medical care in the next 10-15 years. I worry there won't be experienced nurses to care for us in the not too distant future, if there are any nurses at all.

[Mijourney]

Hi dfwnurse. As a boomer, I share your concern. One of the problems that I see over and over again is that employers address staff shortages with the same tired old methods-bonuses and special frills for new hires. Some posters have accurately pointed out that there needs to be a focus on retention of existing employees.

Another problem I feel the employers are addressing improperly is profits. Employees need less work hours and more pay and benefits that assist the employee in maintaining a balance between work and personal. If you overwork and overstress your employees with inadequate compensation and don't give them time to deal with personal matters to boot, you are going to lose alot of money unnecessarily to call-ins, illness, disability, and resignations. It seems to me that over time, the employer could stand to gain alot of profit, if employee compensation, recruitment, retention, and working conditions were properly handled. I'm sure that the quality of patient care would benefit greatly with a more wholistic view of profits.

[This message has been edited by Mijourney (edited January 18, 2001).]