Bringing the Nurses Back

I predict a huge national surplus of nurses in the US within the next ten years.

I really hope I'm wrong.

I don't think that we'll have a surplus. Once the economy is back on it's feet (another 2-3 years) many nurses who are in this only for the money will go on to other fields where they can make more money and not have to deal with the drama and a large number of nurses graduating and going back to school are in their 40's and 50's and let's face it, can't work forever. In fact, the person who just graduated at 55 will probably retire in 10 years, if not sooner. Some of the nurses that are working now, because their significant others have been laid off, will quit working to stay at home once their significant others have gainful employment again and still some of the nurses that are working now are delaying retirement because they've seen their 401Ks dip down to practically nothing.

Guess what! You're wrong. Look at the atrition stats, the number of nurses going back for higher education, and the ones leaving when the have families, and we just may have adequate staffing. I just hope the ones working as nurses are well educated, caring and well intentioned individuals.......

Yes, the UK trained nurses who started after the RN programmes went into the universities aren't generalists ie they all do the same first year and then they branch into either adult,paeds,mental health,OBs or learning disability.
When I trained you had to do the generalist training first and then do other courses if you wanted to be a midwife, registered sick childrens,learning disabilities or mental health nurse.
There is a big overhaul of nurse training going on here at the moment and they are specifically looking at making nursing an all degree qualification (some programmes are diploma-but all are 3 years) and scrapping the branch programmes (I think)

well... I know especially in my program the fail out rate is REALLY high, so looking at how many are enrolled doesn't tell you much, you need to follow the numbers of the ones who enroll versus those who make it through and pass their boards.

It's nice to see so many people enrolling into programs though, there just enver seems to be enough nurses to cover the shifts.... and with mandation being now against the law where I work, that's a huge problem.

Do you pay tuition fees for all nursing programmes in the US?
Does it depend on the programme/place where you study (ie university versus community college)?

Well maybe once the shortage is perceived to be real again (by whoever needs to perceive it) then the retrogression for
EB3 green card will be miraculously lifted and foreign nurses like me who have been sitting waiting (with job offer) for 3-4 years will be used to relieve the pressure.

Of course if the nurse to patient ratios change with a Universal health system then there may be a surplus of nurses, or equally a reduction in salaries could drive people out of the profession leading to a shortage.

Yes, all colleges and universities require payment for each subject, each semester. That's why so many new grads here in the USA are panicky about unavailability of jobs for them, as they need to make monthly payments on the student loans they acquired. There are few scholarships, and no bursaries, here.

My Canadian 3 year hospital nursing program in ancient times, (1957-1960), cost $250. - for the uniforms, and the books, classes, meals and board were given to us. However, we went through rigorous testing before being accepted, and there was very little attrition. I feel so sorry for student nurses now, who must pay so much, and possibly find they aren't suited for nursing. However some of their credits are applicable for others courses of study, which schools of nursing didn't have.

I received a Canadian "bursary" that paid for my tuition and books, and a little pocket money (no housing), when I went on to university to get my degree as a Public Health Nurse. In return, I promised to work in Public Health in Ontario (the province providing the money), for one year. They were very gracious and generous, when I found that I had to live in the USA (for 5 years between the ages of 14 and 28) to retain my American citizenship through my American mother (at that time, you had to be a US citizen to work for the government). I was sent to Windsor, across the river from Detroit and I commuted and bought my car in Detroit.

I loved my job in Windsor, and would have stayed there, had I not been constrained in my work by a law that Canada has, prohibiting the use of American cars for Canadian work. I quit, 6 months into the job (for which I feel forever guilty), and went to California where I met my husband and raised our family. Shouldawouldacoulda haunts me, as we divorced and I chose to be near my grown children in the USA, hence my efforts to help make things better here, healthcare- wise.

Thanks
Is there somewhere I can view the proposed plan for a nationalised health service as it stands at the moment.
My husband is working over in the USA now (he was lucky enough to get a job in health research in Jan and as he has a Masters got a non-immigrant visa) and my son and myself will be joining him in August (fingers crossed with the house sale)
I won't be able to work even though I have a job offer-at least not until one of us gets a Green card.

Obviously coming from a country that has a NHS that is failing many of it's staff and patients I'm interested to see the proposal for the USA.