Excellent article on nursing shortage

Published

Best, most accurate article I've seen on the nursing shortage.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06241/716999-28.stm

Specializes in OR, CVOR, Clinical Education, Informatic.

Truely great article! It should be mandatory reading for every manager in every hospital. Our DON bemoans the "critical nursing shortage" in pandering, pretty speeches - then demotes long term staff from supervisory positions because they are "only diploma nurses". We have been told to go back to school for a BSN or MSN or lose the jobs many of us have been doing for years. At least 4 great RN's I know (all with 15 -35 years exp.) have LEFT nursing as a result. How can you cry "Shortage!" then open the door to push experienced staff out? Did I mention this was to help us achieve Magnet status? I'm all for higher education, but doesn't experience count for something? Thanks for letting me vent. I'm going to go look at college options with my daughter now...maybe we can carpool to save $ for tuition....

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I have to agree, that's the best article addressing the nursing shortage I've read. The writer hit right on with so many points.

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Specializes in ICU/PCU/Infusion.

I agree. Very well written article, but I'm not sure why they are re-printing the article since it originally was written in August of 2006 I believe.

Still, the points are valid and current, so I guess I shouldn't complain. :) Thanks for the link!

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Truely great article! It should be mandatory reading for every manager in every hospital. Our DON bemoans the "critical nursing shortage" in pandering, pretty speeches - then demotes long term staff from supervisory positions because they are "only diploma nurses". We have been told to go back to school for a BSN or MSN or lose the jobs many of us have been doing for years. At least 4 great RN's I know (all with 15 -35 years exp.) have LEFT nursing as a result. How can you cry "Shortage!" then open the door to push experienced staff out? Did I mention this was to help us achieve Magnet status? I'm all for higher education, but doesn't experience count for something? Thanks for letting me vent. I'm going to go look at college options with my daughter now...maybe we can carpool to save $ for tuition....
Of course there is the fact that putting unexperienced people in the place of experienced people reduced overhead. Unexperienced people usually are paid less.
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Specializes in OR, CVOR, Clinical Education, Informatic.
Of course there is the fact that putting unexperienced people in the place of experienced people reduced overhead. Unexperienced people usually are paid less.

Exactly right Oramar. I meant to make that point also but then got that 'angry all over again' thing going on & lost track of where I was headed!

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