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This is the first time I have heard of this. I think this is so dangerouos. It seems the free-market in healthcare applies to everyone except nurses. I know what happened in Chicago, but this is different. Much different. State regulation!!!???!!! If this is true and becomes a national trend, it will be the final insult to me and I will drop out of nursing.

http://www.mankatofreepress.com/archives/2002/020102/n_briefs.html#2

Temp nurses to see slash in pay

BEAUFORD - The new year is going to bring a big cut in pay for Ann Johnson.

The nursing home nurse, who works for a Bloomington-based temp agency, learned recently that new state regulations that limit the amount temp agencies can charge nursing homes for nurses will go into effect today.The law was supposed to go into effect at the end of August, but dozens of Minnesota temp agencies sued in federal court saying the law infringed on their constitutional rights. The federal judge who granted a temporary restraining order the day before the regulations took hold has not extended the stay.

That means the $23 per hour Johnson has been making as a temporary nurse at nursing homes in the Twin Cities, Faribault and other areas will drop to between $14 and $17 per hour.

well this should make wanda d and all the other retards who post here thinking that money is bad...very very happy.

the agency nurses who work that nursing home and others who do that should STOP working there. there goes their staffing.

of course they can cap what the agency nurses make but that doesnt mean the agency nurses have to work there.

lets see how many nurses are going to jump at those wages and sign on at those agencies.

what will the nursing homes do without agency nurses?

the outcome of this is going to be interesting.

i wonder how old that judge is. remember when some places did that slumlord thing where the slumlord had to live in their slum for a while?

what if we did that to some of these legislators?

:(

I live in Minnesota and followed that whole story as it unfolded and ended up in legislation......I also work in LTC.

Now I wish I would have saved all the newspaper coverage because you might not believe me when I tell you the legislature's "rationale" for passing this piece of crap in the first place.........are you ready........here it is (paraphrasing because I don't have the exact quotes used in the press):

***************

"Putting such caps on temp agency salaries will not only save LTC facilities money, but will encourage these agency nurses to sign on board as permanent employees with the LTC facilities in the long run."

***************

One more glaring example of how third party, disinterested lawmakers are screwing with our profession, creating a WORSE shortage than their already is, and robbing us of our freedom to choose how we decide to practise our profession - for whatever reason we decide - and who gets the short end of the stick - patients and residents!!

Prior to this legislation being passed, or while it was in debate, our illustrious Governor (The Body Ventura) had made a public statement - that also hit the headlines - that he.....and I'm paraphrasing again here: "believes that patients and residents should be emptied out of Nursing Homes and sent back to their families and be taken care of by them, the way it should be - by family." In other words, he would like to see every nursing home in the state closed down for good!

God help us all!!!

Bonnie

i agree with gov body ventura...and those poor souls who have no family left to care for them should move into the gov mansion and let the body care for them all by himself.

does this man have advisors?

looks like one too many body slams

i hope hes nice to his kids since they are gonna be the family that takes care of him...

Not only is this legislation butting in where it doesn't belong it is showing us how much it thinks nurses are worth.

Talk about no respect, $14-$17/hr come on.

I agree, shut down all the nursing homes and move all the poor souls in to the govenors mansion. It's ok Jesse we'll pay you $14-$17/hr to take care of them!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Originally posted by WriteStuff

:(

I live in Minnesota and followed that whole story as it unfolded and ended up in legislation......I also work in LTC.

Now I wish I would have saved all the newspaper coverage because you might not believe me when I tell you the legislature's "rationale" for passing this piece of crap in the first place.........are you ready........here it is (paraphrasing because I don't have the exact quotes used in the press):

***************

"Putting such caps on temp agency salaries will not only save LTC facilities money, but will encourage these agency nurses to sign on board as permanent employees with the LTC facilities in the long run."

***************

One more glaring example of how third party, disinterested lawmakers are screwing with our profession, creating a WORSE shortage than their already is, and robbing us of our freedom to choose how we decide to practise our profession - for whatever reason we decide - and who gets the short end of the stick - patients and residents!!

Prior to this legislation being passed, or while it was in debate, our illustrious Governor (The Body Ventura) had made a public statement - that also hit the headlines - that he.....and I'm paraphrasing again here: "believes that patients and residents should be emptied out of Nursing Homes and sent back to their families and be taken care of by them, the way it should be - by family." In other words, he would like to see every nursing home in the state closed down for good!

God help us all!!!

Bonnie

I have a few questions for Governor Ventura about his "beliefs"

Dear Mr. Ventura,

1. Have you ever taken care of a confused, elderly patient who never sleeps(at least not at night) and who requires 24-hour care? Shall their caregivers stop working to care for them? Is your state prepared to provide financial assistance for them? Sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it?

2. Have you considered those patients who have elderly children also and are often unable financially or physically to take care of their parents? Should they be forced to try to take care of NH patients?

3. What about those poor souls who have no family? Are you prepared to assume their care?

I and others who have families in LTC facilities are waiting for your answer..................

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

This is astounding. I guess free enterprise and the laws of supply and demand only apply to some people.

:(

It makes me VERY angry that "The Bod" would make such a statement, public or otherwise.

Remember in the 1970's when the same kind of mindset "caught on" in legislatures nationwide where the mental health care system is concerned? It wasn't long when the states decided they could "save billions of dollars" by emptying out all of the state hospitals.....which is exactly what they did.....and here we are thirty years later with a Mental Health Care System that is a shambles to say the least.

Just dump everyone out on the street who is sucking their coffers dry........or do like the Eskimos..(used to do?).......put grandma or grandma on an ice flow and let them drift away!

God help us!!

Hi guys, I love to see people get upset and then start to think, but let's give Jesse a brake here. I actually saw him comment on this on TV. His remark is being taken out of context. He was talking about family values.

He was actually talking about how so many people use the LTCs as a dumping ground for the elderly. At one time, people would do anything to keep their family at home and out of a nursing home. The nursing home was only considered as a last resort.

This day and age it has become way to convenient to put elderly family members in to a LTC. The need or obligation to take care of the people who once made personal sacrifices to take care of us when we were young and defenseless has slowly disappeared. Now it is so easy to place someone in a nursing home and stop by every once in a while and make your presence known by demanding this or that while you are there.

Actually if you think about it, if you think about it the closing of some nursing homes would be an education to the public. If the family were held directly responsible both financially and morally for the care of someone who really did not need to be in a LTC, then it would be an education. It would also probably cut way down on the anti-depressant use among the elderly.

Jesse also said that he knew that there were people who could not be taken care of at home.

In my family there were 4 grand parents, 3 uncles and 2 aunts who died at home. They all died in hospital beds that were bought by the family. The family took turns caring for them. 3 died after strokes. 1 died after a hip fracture. 1died basically of old age. 1 died of cancer. They all had bedside commodes and wheel chairs. They were still a big part of the family until their death. In short, they were all in homes that they were wanted in and loved and where they wanted to be. Personal sacrifices had to be made by all of those in the family to care for them. Growing up I never saw the inside of a nursing home, but I got to laugh and joke with my grand parents and see them smile. And they got a chance to see me play and be myself.

As for this legislation, well it is just another slap in the face to nurses. This is another example of how those in control do what they think is right without a clue as to how it will impact them. They are trying to shore up the nursing crisis anyway they can. They are listening to people coming to them saying that they can not afford to hire more staff without first checking their bank accounts, looking at the expensive jewelry and clothing, or the car they drove up in. They do not bother to follow them home to see where and how they are living. There hear that nursing accounts for the biggest budget expenditure and they take it as a reason and not just a statement of fact. Nursing payroll will always be the biggest expenditure because we are the biggest number of employees at any facility. That does not mean we are running the place dry of funds.

I do agree though that every one of the legislators the voted in favor of this should be forced into doing the right thing since they are so concerned about this. They should have to volunteer at least one weekend a month to come in and help out. Now that would help cut costs.

One last thing, where was the ANA leadership in all of this. How come they were not publicizing this to the whole country and organizing a mass protest against it. You see, in many ways it is not so much what you win as it is how much you loose. What happens here or there eventually impacts all of us.

In fifties and sixties people had big families. So everyone had 6,7,8 or more children to care for them. Now many people have one or two kids. One couple may find themselves caring for 4 elderly relatives. While at the same time trying to deal with rebelous teens and care children of their adult children. If the middle aged person caring for all these people becomes ill or dies themselves the whole family is like a house of cards collasping on itself. In addition, many of the very elderly are in their 90s and approaching their century mark. Their children in their 70s and are having trouble caring for them because they are elderly also. My next store neighbors are in their early fifties. They have a 4 parents and 4 grandparents between them they must look after. There are just so many old people and their numbers are about to climb. LOOK OUT LORRETA PS. I thought Jessie was a Right Winger with Libertarian leaning. Where does a person with that sort of ideaology get off passing legislation like this?

Yes oramar, in some cases are nursing homes are unavoidable.

I have been in the ER too long maybe. I have seen too many elderly people come in who were living on their own and were followed in by the whole clan. Too many times have I heard one of the family members ask about nursing home placement saying that the patient can no longer live on their own. Too many times have I suggested that the patient could live with one of them and they could all make arrangements and take care of them with at least 5 or 6 adult family members as a audience. Too many times have I heard the silence in response. Too many times have a seen a perfectly otherwise patient in need of a little extra family care started down the road to the nursing home. I have seen the spark go out of a lot of elderly peoples eyes as they listened to what was about to happen to them. I have wiped the tears away from their eyes. I have heard them cuss their family members. I have heard them beg and pleed. I have heard many excuses from the family. I have been reported, because I would not allow the family do a hit and run job in secret.

I think from what I heard Jesse say that he is all too aware of these facts as well as the other side of the issue. That is not to say that he should not be forced to volunteer a weekend a month too if he was in favor of this legislation. That I never heard.

way to take the fun out of a rant wild...lol

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