How Will This Impact the Nursing Profession

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Specializes in med surg ltc psych.

With healthcare reform inching closer to Universal/National/Single Payer/Socialized (which ever it may be called) care; would it or would it not have an effect on current and prospective nurses of the future? Our citizens, the uninsured and patients are a priority but I see the nursing profession taking a hit on this one. Will nurses be rationed so there are less and less being staffed (already happening) and reduced salaries, or similar to California furloughing and budget cutting out necessary services. Could it make nursing unions non existant? I'd feel better if I could hear some thoughts pro or con because I feel there would be a definite impact on nurses. The can of worms is open.

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I think it is kinda hard to say what will happen as nothing has even been decided on what exactly is going to change with healthcare. I think this is a wait and see kinda thing as none of us can predict the future.. ( unless Miss Cleo is here :D and if she is I could really use the powerball numbers for Sat! ):nurse:

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It is my understanding that most nursing unions and nursing organizations are supporting single payer health care. I am curious, why do you believe that the nursing profession will take "the hit?" Look to see who is lobbying against single payer insurance and that should tell you who is going to take the biggest hit.

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Specializes in PACU, ED.

I find it interesting that Pharma is supporting the legislation. From that I surmise they will be a "winner" if/when it passes.

The government option will reimburse at Medicare/Medicaid rates. Talked to an anesthesiologist who said Medicare pays 30% of his usual billing. If insurance companies follow suit that could drive big changes in availability of care. Perhaps we'll see more CRNAs. Hospitals could get squeezed between lower reimbursement and employee wages. What do you think would lose in that battle? Would the government raise reimbursement so that nurses could retain their current wages?

Overall though, we really don't know what will happen and if the government messes things up they can always produce another bill to try to fix it.

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Here in Canada we have nursing unions, "decent" salaries and somewhat standardized pt. ratios...

but we too have a "shortage of nurses" (at least in the sense that there seem to be plentiful jobs and lots of opportunity for overtime); Also, while we pride ourselves in providing universal health care and access to all citizens... those in rural communities seem to suffer great disparity and barriers to care (due to physical distance and lack of health care providers/services primarily).

Our system is NOT PERFECT... and still needs work...it definitely IS NOT FREE... (taxes)

I thought I'd point out that, while things are not peachy... it is not as bad up here as some (cough GOP) may lead you to believe...... :)

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Wow. That is a great piece. Everyone meds to watch that. I am Canadian and that is the best explanation I have ever seen of how single payer works.

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I'm tired of hearing cries of "socialized medicine"! GEEZ....the military has gov run healthcare & it's supposed to be the best. BTW the VA hospital here gives great care and they have the HIGHEST pay for RNs in the area! Even our criminals have healthcare- state run and free for the inmate! & besides that...there are a lot of things in our lives that are "socialized" like PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OH...people have the right to an education but not medical care...right?

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It could also make nursing more recession-proof because fewer people would lose insurance when they lose their jobs.

Payments to hospitals may be lower but there would be far fewer paying nothing at all.

Canadian nurses here have repeatedly said they make decent salaries. Yes, some come here to work for even higher salaries, but they also tend to find higher cost of living than at home.

Don't get your umbrellas out yet, the sky has yet to start falling.

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Specializes in ER.

First, overall the VA system is a joke and so is Medicare. Just talk to some vets and see what they have to say, especially the ones just coming back from duty that need services. Sure there are some good hospitals in the system but one good hospital every 500 miles is far from adequate healthcare. Medicare reimbursement is horrible, and this new plan wants to cut reimbursement more and slow payments. How long can hospitals and clinics remain open if they are paid less and less often?

I do agree the system has some broken parts, but is turning the whole thing upside down over the 17 million more people it would cover really worth it?

I could go on and on but my point is, yes it would be great for everyone to have insurance but do you really trust our government to figure out the best solution when they have yet to get Medicare/medicaid to work without losing billions and the VA system can't handle it's pt's?

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

As much as I hate speculating in yet another "how will this affect you thread" I have to say my Medicare patients leave the hospital a lot more settled and happy than the people with no insurance at all...

Tait

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Specializes in med surg ltc psych.

My question and curiosity is at best hypothetical at this point. But specifically only to how and what changes could occur for nurses as a result of payer payee changes. I am for a resructuring of healthcare as it is necessary. But with these changes comes the way healthcare providers and or facilities are paid for services. I just personally think it will effect quality of care and how healthcare professionals are staffed and paid. I should not use my experience at a VA hospital as speculation refering to "rationing", but I did witness substandard care, conditions, and basic supplies and nursing necessities unavailable on the floors with requisitions and a long wait to get those supplies. This may seem petty on my part to think of it. But if working conditions for our nurses currently have been unsatisfactory (come on, lot of posts here about disappointment with nursing) and many leaving the profession or can't even get hired right now, changing the system I believe will change the nursing profession. Changing the way doctors and nurses are paid will have an impact on the healthcare profession, and no it's not selfish to consider which professions we decide on when we go to school/college. Doctors and nurses go through some of the toughest academia there is, it is chosen.

Original question pertains to if you think it might have some effect or impact on nursing as we know it now. Look at how nursing changed somewhat when HIPPA was enacted (only an example of a change in policy and procedure) Change does have cause and effect. I hope so much that these changes are for the betterment of all of us.

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