Nursing and the economy...

Published

What's your take on the heathcare field, mainly nursing, In this sluggish economy? Is this going to hurt our shortage? Will it help? I read an article today that suggests this will be the worst financial crisis that baby boomer's will face in their lifetime. I was told by many that the baby boomers are what has helped create the nursing shortage in the is country as well. This article also suggests that this financial crisis will last until 2020, that is how long it will take to turn things around. What's your take on this?

well, I agree with your advice. But, I do worry, and I cannot help it. Our income has been cut more than half of what it was a year ago. Im feeling like I should jump in with two feet now (with school) so I don't waste any time. I need to get in and out so I can be working to help replace lost income. I am not worried about the market...stocks or housing. Just hopeful that I can get into a program and get through it without any major issues....that is where prayer...for me...comes into play! I know I need to do more of that and less talk about worrying!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Here's how nurses "feel" it": Nobody's getting laid off (yet?) but there's no hiring, so we are almost always working short now, with strict limits on overtime. Working short sucks the life out of you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If you have some extra money, now is the time to get into the stock market. I wish I had an extra $2000-3000 right now; I would be buying Ford stock at $2.20 / share!! .

Watch out for bargain single digit stocks. I remember the ugly dot com days when stocks reverse split with a sudden halving of the number of shares owned. Better to stick with stocks with positive earnings per share. Ford's loses $5.53 per $2.20 share of stock.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Here's how nurses "feel" it": Nobody's getting laid off (yet?) but there's no hiring, so we are almost always working short now, with strict limits on overtime. Working short sucks the life out of you.

You got that right...working short stinks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Watch out for bargain single digit stocks. I remember the ugly dot com days when stocks reverse split with a sudden halving of the number of shares owned. Better to stick with stocks with positive earnings per share. Ford's loses $5.53 per $2.20 share of stock.

I'd stick to diversified mutual funds - preferably an Index fund with low fees. Buffet also said something to the effect of "the stock market rewards the patient with the stupidity of the greedy."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
Personally, I read all of those articles and lsiten to the news, and what I think is that we reap what we sow. We can all blame each other for keeping up with the Joneses, whatever... but the bottom line is this. Hard work, persistence, god decisions, forward thinking, and the belief that we can still trust the US government is what will get us through this. If we are afraid to spend, and we don't, more people will get laid off, more businesses will close, and more people will be out of their homes. I myself am working my rear end off to bring up my GPA and I am going to get in somewhere somehow. I only have myself and my family to rely on, and that is what is going to happen. I am not going to let a handful of rich, white-collar, selfish cowards who wanted to keep their yachts ruin this for me. That is just more motivation for me to do better. I will do whatever it takes go get this done. I will move my family in to my cousin's house if I have to... no one or anything else for that matter will stop me. Nursing will not be going anywhere, and if you are a good nurse, that will even moreso be the case.

Ok, I am off of my soapbox.

________________________________________________________________

It seems you've been contaminated by the McCain election hype!

First of all the new administration will be asking for input on the current scene, in order to make necessary changes. It is my prayer that they'll ask nurses for it! If not, we must insist on giving it by writing our representatives in government!

I can't tell you how impressed I am that you said "still trust the US government". That means that you haven't become as disheartened as others about the direction it's taken. It just wasn't the right direction, as all the financial rewards went to doctors and insurance companies with employers wielding enormous power by making the decisions about which insurance company they use (hence Blue Cross's having multiple names for the same company)!

Being from Canada, where the people still don't have any say about how their program is done, and the changes are effected by doctors who make decisions there that are evaluated by hindsight. Now don't think I'm dissing their health care, as I appreciate it immensely. The real difference is that monies are spent on care and equipment, not flashy lobbies, doctors' lounges, and offices that look like 5 star resorts.

My relatives living in Toronto receive excellent treatment in a timely manner! They are aging and had many health challenges for which their medication is free and the knee replacements and paliative care were provided by excellent professionals, without charge to the patients who have retired or are over 60 years of age. The only supplemental insurance they need is for care outside of the country - like here, where they come winters for respite from the cold (which is affordable for most people).

Working people in Canada pay a nominal amount (smaller than that witheld from paychecks here, for future Medicare and Social Security) and the amount taken from their paychecks is on a sliding scale (much like our taxes on income, which will diminish for us once the extremely well compensated folks here lose tax havens, and are appropriately charged when making more than a comfortable living).

There is nothing socialistic about that. Socialism involves equal distribution of everyone's money with decisions for spending it made in committees for that purpose. The only place that works today, is in Israel where people choose that communal style of life, living in a kibbutz. Medical there is free for all in the land regardless of where they choose to live, and some hospitals are funded for new equipment, research and education by Hadassah, an international philanthropic organization that anyone can join (although men are associates, while women are members).

Just wait, y'all, the best is yet to come!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

Stopnik:

You have the right ideas, except for the one about a collapse for Health Care. People, as you said, get sick, and in hard times don't get care soon enough, so by the time they're hospitalized they stay there longer.

You haven't lost that stock market money yet, as long as you hold on to it, and it wasn't one of those iffy things.

Help is on the way for homeowners stuck with bad loans, if they are squeaky wheels and direct complaints to their representatives (who, after all, make laws for such things).

Please read my last post on this thread,

Lois

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

Older nurses can't work until they're 80, as employers kick them out if they do get hired, as companies' insurance carriers won't allow Medicare to be their primary insurer. Yet we seniors are made to fill in the insurance forms anyway, which reveal our ages. Then we're fired.

That's happened to me several times, since I was under 60, and now I'll be 70 in April. However next week I have an interview and will take thye job if it's offered, wearing as much concealer on my face as I can without looking tarty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lamazeteacher.....Im not really understanding what your posts are supposed to mean? Are you suggesting that we are going to have a universal healthcare system because of Obama? Im confused....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
Lamazeteacher.....Im not really understanding what your posts are supposed to mean? Are you suggesting that we are going to have a universal healthcare system because of Obama? Im confused....

Sassiebaz:

Thank yoiu for asking for clarification.

At this time, as I understand him, President-elect Obama is relying on the infrastructure now in place, to provide "affordable health care insurance". It's my opinion that the profit demanded by CEOs of insurance companies, by way of inflated salaries, expenses, and premiums (without which they'd leave the field) will mean their demise. That would present an opening for a medical doctor (and I hope nurse - yah, in my dreams......), driven government run payment system have the opening to come up with something affordable.

This can only happen if/when those with the intelligence and experience in running patient provider programs, have time to plan and institute a health care system that avoids the pitfalls of others. Those pitfalls, are refusal of realistic plans of care consistant with state of the art procedures. Others are the interference of "for exorbitant profit" pharmaceutical companies in providing their products at nominal cost without the "double dipping" false cry that they deserve to be compensated twice for their research. They receive government and university grants for research!

Also there's a kick-back occurring with medical equipment companies getting contracts for one type of equipment, if the same buyer gets another, possibly less adequate, possibly more costly type of equipment that they sell.

Without the high premiums due to overpayment of top heavy insurance companies and control of costs of care, reasonable health care can be obtained through whatever method is expedient and without employers being the "power brokers".

Yes, that's similar to "universal" health care, but the people may still object to it based on erroneous preconceptions sponsored by high income heads of companies that want to maintain control of who they hire, retain, and advance. After all, discrimination due to past histories, age, etc. isn't something they do, it's the insurance comapnies. Oh yah?

If I sound angry, I am, having suffered age and health history discrimination repeatedly these past 14 years, due to having to fill out applications for health insurance despite saying I already have that!

If you have more questions about it, read the book Obama published before his campaign, about his plans for health care as well as all the other issues, or ask me again and I'll try to be less opinionated.:uhoh21:

Lois

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Lamazeteacher.....Im not really understanding what your posts are supposed to mean? Are you suggesting that we are going to have a universal healthcare system because of Obama? Im confused....

As a nation we should be so lucky. We are the only industrialized country on this planet with so many uninsured inhabitants. Our system will eventually collapse under its own weight. Less insurance = more ED visits = more unpaid bills = higher payments from insurance companies. Couple in a few million people out of work, with no insurance, and it will only get worse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry & PCU.
As a nation we should be so lucky. We are the only industrialized country on this planet with so many uninsured inhabitants. Our system will eventually collapse under its own weight. Less insurance = more ED visits = more unpaid bills = higher payments from insurance companies. Couple in a few million people out of work, with no insurance, and it will only get worse.

Within a few more years there will be a business case for a single payer system as many small and medium size businesses will not be able to afford to pay any health benefits.

Another point is that health care is not free in any industrialized country; everyone pays for it, just not at the Dr office.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion