Advice pls: Future of Trauma/ER nursing, one school too!

Specialties Emergency

Published

Hi,

I'm in LA and was considering applying to the LA--County-USC Nursing School for an RN (second career, heard plenty of warnings!).

My question is this: Having read an LA Times article how there's going to be a big crunch in trauma/er funding (and I think this may go cross the board, not only County), do you think breaking into this field at age 52 (energetic; good resume) will be much much harder?

It seems a shame that trauma/er centers are suffering a diminishment of funds while only the aegis of "bioterrorism" catches they eye and bucks - especially at the Fed. level. You'd think/hope that given the NYC tragedy that the government would really bolster ER/Trauma Departments.

I'm gonna give it my best shot but I thought I'd ask the experts.

Many thanks,

mw

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm an ER nurse in level I trauma center (age 43) and love it. The info I have seen as to the future of hospitals is that they will become big ERs and ICUs with more focus on out-patient procedures and surgeries. Where is your info coming from? Curious

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Sorry I don't have the exact issue as the apt. was inadvertently "cleaned" recently.

It's seemed important and if you go to latimes.com (or Google search: Los Angeles Times) and type in "trauma nursing", "emergency nursing", etc. you'll find it in the Archives. However, you've gotta pay for it.

Spoke of false hopes from governmental levels re: funding.

I'm gonna pay for this regardless and if you like, I can send a copy to you.

Best,

Allan (muddywaters)

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I found the article, LA Times, Tues, Dec. 25th edition, pt. B. Title: "Promising Year Ends Up Leaving Health Care Advocates Heartsick".

Subtext: "Plans to insure more poor children and mend the trauma care system were dashed by an ailing economy".

Essentially, the federal Healthy Families program funnelled thru Sacramento was to help CA's beleagured trauma care system. But the economic crash, w/fallout from terrorist acts put an end to the suplus. Nationwide, Medicaid programs have been cut back, as employers placed med. insurance restrictions too at the yrs. end.

So, in CA (like other states I wonder?), public and private hlth. care systems were hurt, inluding nonprofit hospitals. Then discusses how nurses are leaving and demanding to be unionized.

LA County's massive hospital and public hlth. system w/lose half a biollion in funding over the next two yrs, coupled with Bush's approved cuts in federal hlth. financing...

LA-CO USC's psychiatric ER Room (as all the hospital), as we know is tremendously overburdened, not up to standards.

And, most hospitals are totally unprepared for a large influx of pts. - from the flu to terrorist attacks. (And I presume this means ER rooms which is a bummer).

But I guess this stuff is old hat for experts; sorry for the length.

As a novice, I was hoping to get an RN at LA CO-USC nursing program and work in such a hospital's er room.

Hope things get better.

mw

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I live here in midwest and do some agency in Chicago on the side. Here in downstate Illinois, we don't use agency nurses and we got a pretty generous pay raise this year (about 11%).

In Chicago though - most ERs have agency nurses and sometimes most of the shift is agency. I don't feel this is the greatest for patient care. The pace is the same in Chicago as it is here in the middle of the state - only the names change - lol!

Interesting article - thanks.

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Hi traumaRUs,

Happy New Year. There is no cure for hangover, I'm convinced.

Can I infer from your writing, that it might be better to start out in the hinterlands than Big City? I hear Agency nursing doesn't provide medical insurance...

Alaska's looking better!

Thanks a lot.

mw

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