Nursing Shortage: worldwide epidemic

Nurses Safety

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In my research, I have found a statistic put forth by BCNU sating that every country in the world is facing a nursing shortage, except for Hong Kong. In Canada, it is forcasted that we will be short 113,000 nurses in 12 years. This has resulted from casualization, education cutbacks, lack of long-term planning, and early retirement and an aging nurse population. Our government has put together a strategy that focusses on recruiting, training, and retaining nurses by improving workplace quality and attracting new nurses with compeditive wages to combat our shortage.

My question today is how is your facility/organization combating the shortage in your area, and what are you seeing in regards to progress towards reducing the shortage? I would love to hear how everything works in your corner of the world!

Thanks!

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Hello Nicole Marie:

I'm the one that posted the ranting on not believing that there is a shortage in nursing because if they treated the staff nurses the way they should they would retain the staff and some might come back into nursing.

The reason I did this is because at my place of employment they have gotten rid of some older nurses (excellent at their job) because they didn't want to have to pay the big bucks, they have taken away our holiday pay, and they have changed our sick and vacation time into PTO (paid time off) which is a joke:angryfire

I work for an Allina facility and in our area I believe we are the only non-union facility. We have a sister hospital that is unionized, and they retain the sick/vacation pay.

Myself and some other RNs tried to get MNA into our hospital, but it didn't pass. I don't think that MNA wanted us to get unionized....I know they didn't help us, they lost cards that we would get signed, they didn't explain what having the union would do for us....basically, we girls who were trying to get the union in were really appalled at MNA's lack of help and interest. When we were watching the count (the vote) the Rep from MNA said,"Well, it doesn't look good does it? But, we didn't really think it would pass did we?" I was sooooooooooo:angryfire :crying2: We had been working our butts off for 3 months trying to get that in, I felt betrayed. Basically they are doing whatever they want to us right now. So to answer your question (finally) No they are still doing us dirt, in fact even more so.

P.S. I've tried to apply at our sister hosp, but for some reason I can't get in and I have tele, chemo, med-surg, post partum,etc. experience.

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I our now days of high stress, low pay, partial benifits, and no employer/employee loyalty, why risk working to be exhusted beyond your wildest dreams to have your house, car, saved 401k taken from you because you missed an inital some where.

God bless everyone

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My husband works for a bakery, he gets better benefits, same pay wages as I do with less stress. Huuummmm, go figure. :o

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hi every one:

i have a great idea that can help all nurses in the whole planet. why we dont have an international nurses strike day? may be we can have at least if not for us for the new generations of nurses a good work environment and good pay.

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The BC government's plan to recruit nurses is a big fat joke. Have you actually looked at the job postings at healthmatchbc? Casual, temporary, part-time, must have 3 years experience in specialty area to move to hick town.... Not to mention talk about a wage freeze for nurses.... Gordon Campbell is the devil and doing nothing to keep nurses in the province. I have no regrets on leaving BC when I did and won't be going back any time in the near future.

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Hi,

I am working in California as RN for 4 years now, coming from the middle east was a big move for me, the question is what the governement of this country did to solve this problem? the answer is N/A. by 2010 US need 1,000,000 RN, the average age for active RN is 44 (i think) and the mortality rate from treatable conditions now is around 30%. its like waiting for another TITANIC which will cause damage more than IRAQ WMD. with all that we have the new CA RN Ratio?? like add more salt to salty food. if the governement dont care why should i. i am doing my master degree in Healthcare Manegemet, whenever i am done i will accept the first job offer even for the minimum wage.

In my research, I have found a statistic put forth by BCNU sating that every country in the world is facing a nursing shortage, except for Hong Kong. In Canada, it is forcasted that we will be short 113,000 nurses in 12 years. This has resulted from casualization, education cutbacks, lack of long-term planning, and early retirement and an aging nurse population. Our government has put together a strategy that focusses on recruiting, training, and retaining nurses by improving workplace quality and attracting new nurses with compeditive wages to combat our shortage.

My question today is how is your facility/organization combating the shortage in your area, and what are you seeing in regards to progress towards reducing the shortage? I would love to hear how everything works in your corner of the world!

Thanks!

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Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.

I am from Canada. I have lived in the US since 1988(went back one year). Benefits, salary and opportunities are much better in the US. I work as a medical applications programmer; a chance I would not have received in Canada since I notice alot of the medical applications are just now being implemented. Part of the benefits package I receive is free education for myself and dependents which is an unbelievable benefit.

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Hi onelonenurse,

what do you mean by medical applications programmer?

my e meil [email protected].

waiting for your reply.

thanx

I am from Canada. I have lived in the US since 1988(went back one year). Benefits, salary and opportunities are much better in the US. I work as a medical applications programmer; a chance I would not have received in Canada since I notice alot of the medical applications are just now being implemented. Part of the benefits package I receive is free education for myself and dependents which is an unbelievable benefit.
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:uhoh3: Gee, I remember the very beginnings where we we arguing whether or not there was a "Nursing Shortage." What an adventure watching the truth unfold and become undeniable. Hospital Boards that were in the beginning holding the line so as not to have, the truth come out, it was sort of these skinny little geeks, holding this closeline around the burgeoning, truth as it was bursting out the doors of the Hospitals, while propagandizing that there was no such thing as a Nursing Shortage :rotfl: Now there are a few persons out there that there ain't no shortage, just alack of available licensed personell willing to fill the void for their vacant positions without offering so much as a sign on bonus, or better "Paid Benefits" or anything for that matter. Those with their heads lodged in the sand, are going to be the big Losers, and very soon because no matter what the do in two or three years wont help them then as all thr available nurse will have been lured to those facilities that are willing to "Up the ANTE" so to speak. The Greatest triumphs for our profession are still to come :coollook:
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Decent medical care when delivered for profit, world wide shortage..... Maybe that's why nobody really wants to care for the sick, when the medical care they receive is so appalling from the word GO?

Nurse Hardee

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