COVID-19: How Can Inactive Nurses Help?

[1LPN]

With the current situation resulting in a severe nursing shortage (as usual but worse), has anyone considered allowing nurses who are out of work due to harsh disciplinary actions for minor offenses? Some countries and now some states are looking at releasing non violent inmates, why not call up this plethora of able bodied resources?

[NPOaftermidnight, MSN, RN, NP]

Maybe my experience is not representative, but I don't think most facilities have a "plethora" of nurses out of work for disciplinary actions. Anywhere I've worked it was very difficult to be suspended and almost impossible to be let go. So it wasn't a common occurrence. Not that I'm saying it's a bad idea, but I don't think it would have a significant impact on the shortage, either.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

18 minutes ago, NPOaftermidnight said:

Maybe my experience is not representative, but I don't think most facilities have a "plethora" of nurses out of work for disciplinary actions. Anywhere I've worked it was very difficult to be suspended and almost impossible to be let go. So it wasn't a common occurrence. Not that I'm saying it's a bad idea, but I don't think it would have a significant impact on the shortage, either.

I believe rather than disciplinary actions by an employer, OP was referring to disciplinary actions taken by the BON.

OP, there may indeed be facilities that are taking pretty much any body they can get. Others may not be yet- mine is not because they need to redeploy current employees first. Ambulatory settings have been closed, perioperative has drastically reduced surgeries meaning there are nurses there that don't have work to do, and others. Those current employees will have first dibs on moving into units as needed in order to keep getting a paycheck.