Health care workers can be drafted during a pandemic

Published

Some of the doctor blogs are talking about this.

Beyond the Call of Duty: Compelling Health Care Professionals to Work During an Influenza Pandemic

In anticipation of pandemics and other mass disasters, several states have enacted little-known laws that authorize government officials to order health care professionals to work during declared public health emergencies, even when doing so would pose life-threatening risks. Health care professionals who violate these orders could face substantial penalties, ranging from license revocations to fines and imprisonment. The penalties would apply even to individuals whose jobs do not normally involve clinical responsibilities, as well as to health care professionals who are retired or taking time off from work to care for their families.

http://allbleedingstops.blogspot.com/2009/04/compelling-health-care-workers-during.html

(the law) MEDICAL DRAFT IN STANDBY MODE

http://www.sss.gov/FactSheets/FSmedical.pdf

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.

nice...

Mex

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Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

I'd LOVE to see some state try to do that. Who will they staff their hospitals with after they revoke everybody's license? Hmm.

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Specializes in US Army.

I guess that answers the question"Will you report to work during a pandemic?"

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Yeah, and if it is in CA, because the state is close to bankruptcy, their salaries will probably be confiscated by the state.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The 'Draft' (be it military or otherwise) is slavery in all but name.

A free society should not tolerate "conscription" - be it to fight wars or to assuage the misguided egos of a select few in the guise of "national service" (or whatever else they want to call it these days)...

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I did not know that when I graduate this month I will secretly become property of the government because of it...guess you do not even have to join the military anymore to have your life taken away.

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I am subject to recall by the military until I am 65. I agreed to that when I signed on the dotted line. But I sure didn't have such thoughts when I got my piddly nursing license. Funny, how you can be jobless and unemployable one minute, but good enough for involuntary servitude the next.

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You became the property of the government as soon as you turned 18 and registered with selective service.

I did not know that when I graduate this month I will secretly become property of the government because of it...guess you do not even have to join the military anymore to have your life taken away.
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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

What'd I tell ya? If they are going to treat us like we're military, then I want to shop at the PX....

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Screw the government. I'm so sick of them, they are getting worse and worse.

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