Is there REALLY a nursing shortage?

[rawoysteraddict]

after 5 years, do you think things are better????

may 11, 2004 08:11 pm

is there really a nursing shortage?

by marie0304

this is an interesting article guys/gals...

here's the letter i wrote to the president, vice-president, u.s. congress rep. and senator:

"i'm an r.n. and i recently started working as an agency nurse because the pay is so much better and the hours are very flexible. the hospital system in my area that uses most of the agency nurses is in the process of hiring foreign labor to cut costs and fill positions. i read an article, "is there really a nursing shortage?" by richard armstrong and what he said really concerned me. it is true that american jobs are going overseas and there are over 8 million americans out of work. people who go to school for certain professions do not have jobs when they graduate. where is the american dream going??? i realize our country is a melting pot and all, but what about our jobs for us here???!!!

please abolish the h-1b program. americans need to demand that employers not be allowed to replace american workers with foreigners... i'm finally not living paycheck to paycheck as a nurse and i'm finally able to get ahead... but now there is this big black cloud looming over my head and it's full of foreign nurses trying to get out of their country to take my job. why are you letting this happen to your fellow americans???

sincerely,

marie l. schultz

shreveport, louisiana"

i don't know if it will help or not, but i figured it was worth a try. nurses from india, africa and thailand (among others) are coming to the shreveport area to fill gaps of this so-called nursing shortage so that the hospital system i work at won't have to use agency nurses. instead of paying american nurses better... this is what is happening. nice. very nice.

do you see this happening where you are??? i just started working agency and that's all i'm doing right now. i love it. i just started april 19th, 2004 and here it is... not one month later and 15 foreigners are starting in the next week or so as a "pilot" for the other 3 hospitals of this hospital chain. this hospital chain uses most agency nurses here in shreveport. they're trying to get rid of agency nurses all together by using these other nurses.

again i ask: do you see this happening where you are???

thanks in advance. :angryfire

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

I will join you in writing to the representatives you have mentioned also as I sit here "jobless" with over 28 years experience as a BSN prepared RN. I left bedside nursing for a period of 3 years to do outpatient dialysis and now cant even get an interview as most employers dont see dialysis as "nursing experience"!! Explain that one to me lol. Recently I had my appt at the VA outpatient clinic as I am a service connected disabled veteran and have been faithfully trying to get employment withint the Federal VA system (note they also have Vet preference). Now I have been attending this clinic for over 10 years and pretty well can recognize most of the staff when I walk in the door. What surprised me was 2 nurses who were attending to patient appts noting they were brand new faces to me. When she called me in for my appt I asked her and she confirmed she and her friend were new and both were recruited from the Phillipines. I have no problem with the fact they are Phillipino but I do have an issue with having American born nurses looking for jobs being turned down yet Federal facilities bringing in foriegn educated nurses in our place? Something definitely wrong with this picture. I was also looking at telephone triage jobs and found many of those are also "outsourced" to foriegn countries. If I call to IT for an issue with my computer or other appliance in my home I get someone in India then have to fight because I absolutely cant understand what is being said. Imagine giving health recommendations over the phone? Come on.

[californiadreaming]

Every nurse should read this and take action!

http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/h-1c.cfm

[mamamerlee, LPN]

There is no nursing shortage here in Indianapolis - - 1.There are very few job postings. 2.Earlier this year, 2 insurance agencies laid off over 100 RNs between them, so there isheavy competition for most positions. 3. Fewer people are leaving their jobs.

RN salaries have stalled because of reimbursement from the various payor sources.

I have been unemployed for many months, with few 'bites' from decent companies.

My understanding in the past has been that the hospitals must prove that they cannot fill their positions before they look at overseas help.

And using agency staff does not mean they are actually filling the positions.

This is a complex issue - -but no shortage here. And my sources in some other cities repost similar circumstances.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

There is no shortage where I live in the midwest. I feel fortunate to still have a job. It is M-F, no weekends or holidays in a clinic system as an educator. There are no jobs like this anywhere where I live now. Hiring freeze is alive and well around here.

otessa

[CASTLEGATES]

I emailed the white house and told them the same stuff..asked if the lobbyists had bribed them or what? We have enough RN's to fill all slots for some time. We don't need education funding, we don't need to import anyone.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

I sent a letter this am via snail mail. Hopefully it will give your letter more gravity!

Sincerely, CallaCode

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

No nursing shortage in these parts. In fact, the nurse recruiters at the local hospitals won't even take resumes off of us soon to be new grads. They pretty much look down at us disdainfully like what do i need you for? Makes me want to quit this miserable nursing school nonsense.

[OC_An Khe]

Nursing shortages are dependent upon the economy and demographics. When this economy improves, it eventually will, then the effects of demand will outstrip the supply of nurses. Lo and behold the shortage will return. It has happened after many previous recessions and will happen after this one. My guess will be sometime in 2011. I know it doesn't help those looking today but that is the way of our capitalist system. Including importing labor.

[misplaced1]

Nursing shortages are dependent upon the economy and demographics. When this economy improves, it eventually will, then the effects of demand will outstrip the supply of nurses. Lo and behold the shortage will return. It has happened after many previous recessions and will happen after this one. My guess will be sometime in 2011. I know it doesn't help those looking today but that is the way of our capitalist system. Including importing labor.

That is one possilbe scenario. Another is that many of the jobs that went to nurses in the past will go to techs and assistants with RNs supervising more techs etc. And of course the minute there is the least bit of "shortage" foreign nurses will be imported in droves. This combined with the "shoot myself in the foot" culture that so many nurses support suggest to me that the profession in this country may never actually see any real shortage or associated benefits, ie better working conditions. But that is just my projection. I would not have taken this route if I had realized much of what I do now. Even though I love people and have always loved to care for them in every way.

[Nightingale11]

I have already got a job lined up, Ill graduate a 2 yr in Dec 2010. My hospital has given me money in trade for work.