VCR Alert: Nursing Shortage on 60 Minutes

Glad2behere · Dec 29, 2002

I saw the preview too, I'll be watching.

Carleigh · Dec 30, 2002

Just finished watching it and it burns me up that instead of trying to do something about the working conditions here for our nurses, the hospitals are using these recruiting companies that promise the moon! The salaries will never go up because our wages look like a million bucks to someone coming from a third-world country. Brings to mind the U.S. businesses that knowingly use illegal immigrants to avoid paying proper wages and benefits. Not to mention that it seems unethical to pull the best nurses from their own countries who need them so badly. Grrrr!

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2002

Carleigh - it was frustrating, wasn't it? Seems like it was a rerun - it seemed familiar.

And they came -----THIS------- close to going the right direction, didn't they? Kind of showing the stress that a nurse goes through... But no - back to "attracting new nurses" "pipeline" etc., etc., IT'S NOT THE BLEEDING PIPELINE THAT'S THE PROBLEM!!

pant, pant, gasp, hack.... Whew... But I really thought they were going to do it right for a minute there.

Love

Dennie

funnygirl_rn · Dec 30, 2002

Yeah, I thought it was disappointing as well. NurseDennie, I too thought they came "SO CLOSE"...really thought they were going to say...let's fix this crisis in our country & do it now!! But...as we seen let's go to a 3rd world country & buy a nurse. Agh!

fab4fan · Dec 30, 2002

Except for the intro and conclusion, it was just a repeat (does this really surprise anyone...like we're important enough to warrant two separate shows).

This really gives the public the wrong impression. Instead of worrying about whether or not there will be a nurse to answer their call bells, they'll figure these "highly skilled" foreign nurses will be here to take the jobs that whiney American nurses won't take.

It would have been great if they'd have let the prof. from U of P REALLY talk, and spent more time in American hospitals...show us Americans who are being affected by a lack of nurses, instead of guilt-tripping us by showing how much worse it is elsewhere.

I loved that recruiter's response..."someone is going to do it, so I might as well." That's like saying, "Someone is going to mug you, so I might as well do it."

2banurse · Dec 30, 2002

I caught it and like you all, I was disappointed. Is there anything that we can do to let 60 minutes know where they fell short?

Kris

Stargazer · Dec 30, 2002

Originally posted by 2banurse
I caught it and like you all, I was disappointed. Is there anything that we can do to let 60 minutes know where they fell short?

Kris

Go to here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/08/60minutes/main13504.shtml

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the link marked: Feedback.

MishlB · Dec 30, 2002

Sounds like the typical fix in the US. Hire non-US citizens to work in this country because they will more than likely not complain about the working conditions, long hours, and low pay. Like the program tried to convey, these countries are losing critical employees that are invaluable to their medical profession.

funnygirl_rn · Dec 30, 2002

Stargazer...I immediately went to the CBS site after watching "60 Minutes" & emailed my comments. I am thinking if more of us will write our comments to them regarding the show...just maybe...a follow up will be televised. Wishful thinking at least.

Stargazer · Dec 30, 2002

I agree, funnygirl. I'm going to wait and watch the piece again before I respond--it's not on for another hour on the West Coast.

Trauma Columnist · Dec 30, 2002

Just sent some feedback to CBS. How about you guys doing it too??

amy · Dec 30, 2002

I too sent my spin on their story...wondering what will come of it. will let you all know what happens! I feel the same as previous posters that said they felt 60 Minutes came close to touching on the real subject. Incidentally, I just left ER nursing 4 mo. ago to work public health as a home care nurse... how's that for a change of pace?

Missing the "drama and the trauma" terribly, Amy