Anyone else read this?

[GenSurgRNFA, BSN]

This recent article from the Atlantic discusses the looming nursing shortage:

Five years ago, my mother was rushed to the hospital for an aneurysm. For the next two weeks, my family and I sat huddled around her bed in the intensive-care unit, oscillating between panic, fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Apparently, the author has failed to note the scores of new grads having difficulty finding jobs, the fact that hospitals are using the so-called nursing shortage as an excuse to work nurses harder and short-staffed, and the fact that the feds are now predicting a 340,000 nurse surplus rather than a shortage. Many nurses who would have retired by now can't because they lost their retirement savings when the economy tanked. This prediction has been around for quite some time, and it hasn't yet proved to be a universal truth. The only shortages seem to be of experienced nurses in certain specialties and in rural areas where no one wants to live.

From the link above:

Based on 2012 health care delivery and staffing patterns and assuming the current RN demandequals the current RN supply of approximately 2.9 million, the demand for RNs is projected toreach 3.5 million in 2025, an increase of 612,000 RNs. A growth in disease burden attributableto changing patient demographics contributes to an increased demand of 584,000 RNs, andexpanded insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act accounts for a demand of anadditional 28,000 RNs. The greater growth rate of supply (33 percent) over that of demand (21 percent) will result in anexcess of 340,000 RNs by 2025.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

You can wreck a person's life by publishing crap like that news article. New high school grads looking for a good job, spend thousands of dollars and 4 years on a degree that won't get them a job. Or a job they hate that doesn't pay what they've been promised.

[singwithme123]

Is it just me, or is it odd that in this day and age an article like this is being published?? This was from 2 days ago..

The U.S. Is on the Verge of a Major Nursing Shortage - The Atlantic

[AJJKRN]

Not odd, publicity for colleges and universities to price gouge!

[singwithme123]

Not odd, publicity for colleges and universities to price gouge!

You are probably correct. I could see this being written 8-10 years ago, but certainly not appropriate now! I know it is a tired old subject around here. Just thought it was odd to see a new article about it.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

probably so the general public thinks " oh, they are short staffed because there aren't enough nurses" instead of "they are short staffed because that is the new staffing patterns" to save money.

Also, shortage of nurses willing to work in those conditions.

Some things never change

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Merged two threads about same article in the Atlantic.

[AceOfHearts<3]

Oh good Lord, I made the mistake of looking at the comments. There is a lawyer who thinks he's the only one who is right. Apparently there are doctors (residents) picking up the slack of us lowly RNs who are just subordinates. Also, maybe his significant other doesn't complain about a nursing shortage because the nurses she works with do such an awesome job, even when short staffed, that she isn't aware of it.

Just because I follow the directions of a provider (resident, attending, NP, PA, etc.) does NOT mean they are my boss. My boss is my unit manager and the DON.

[margin261]

Ace- after you mentioned the comments, I went back to the article to look at them

(Yeah, mistake!)

Apparently that nice lawyer's wife has told him she comes home late because when the nurses don't finish their work she has to do it!! I used all my restraint to refrain from informing him his wife might not be telling him the truth!! Lol

Not once has an MD started an IV or inserted a foley when I didn't get to by end of shift...usually the next NURSE takes over! But hey, what do I know?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Oh good Lord I made the mistake of looking at the comments. There is a lawyer who thinks he's the only one who is right. [/quote']Yes, I read the lawyer's comments earlier in the day, but wasn't going to give any unwarranted attention to them. He is simply another uninformed person who thinks he knows more than he really does due to having a physician spouse.

[GenSurgRNFA, BSN]

Wow im glad i didnt read the comments!