Simplepleasures

Medicare may have it's problems, but it is far better than a free clinic. I must buy a supplemental policy that costs me $150. a month for the deductibles, but even this is a better alternative to no coverage. If everyone paid that $150. a month to a government run Medicare program and cut out the private health insurers we could expand Medicare to cover everyone.

http://medi-smart.com/whistleblower-protection.htm http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSL/is_3_73/ai_72272008 http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/State/StateLegislativeAgenda/Whistleblower_1.aspx http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Wisconsin_Lawyer&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&contentid=47659 This last link is the state law my case is being heard under.Get an EMPLOYMENT lawyer, he should be up on the health care whistle blower retaliation protection law in your state , IF your state has one. I am not aware of a Federal whistle blower law that protects health care workers, unless it is a Qui Tam Law that protects those who have reported a Medicare/Medicaid/ Fraud. http://whistleblowerlaws.com/law.htm

I am on Medicare, its a lot better than a free clinic.I couldn't afford Cobra while waiting for SSDI approval. The problem that does exist with Medicare is the rate in which the doctors and clinics are reimbursed. Plus the deductibles , which forces those with Medicare to either buy a Supplemental insurance or buy an Advantage Plan. The Supplemental Plan costs another $100 a month on top of the almost $100. Medicare premium, so that is $200, out of the Social Security monthly payment. Oh almost forgot about the added 35 or 40 bucks a month for Medicare part D. Those who have been disabled and have gone through their savings to pay for medical debt , now have to rely on living on SS alone. I am grateful to have it and I am thrilled to have Medicare, but the doctors and clinics charges keep going up, Medicare cannot continue to pay for those increased costs year after year. Those costs MUST be kept to a reasonable level, as they are in other countries that have universal health care, it can be done. I would much prefer keeping private health insurance out of the system altogether, that and the outrageous health care costs will bankrupt Medicare if something isn't done soon. I do not have an entitlement attitude, I am grateful for what there is in place now, but as a civilized intelligent nation, I think we could do better.

YES, they can and do fire nurses regularly, especially the ones with a strong moral/ ethical compass, who have big mouths. They absolutely do want nurses to be afraid of getting fired and they also like to use your license to scare you . LTC has been and still is a dirty underhanded industry, with money as its bottom line. Speaking from experience.

Unless your company has a policy on the books that states no one may speak in anything but English, you will most likely not be able to prove any retaliatory action. Sarbanes Oxley and other Whistleblower Laws would not deal with this type of thing, much bigger fish to fry.Health care whistleblower retaliation protection laws protect the nurse when reporting about PATIENT care issues, Sarbanes Oxley is more of a corporate whistleblower law, deals with things other than health care issues or workers. Sorry this happened to you, I hope things work out for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarbanes-Oxley_Act

http://medi-smart.com/whistleblower-protection.htm http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/State/StateLegislativeAgenda/Whistleblower_1.aspx I am involved in a Whistleblower Retaliation lawsuit against my former employer. I was covered under the WI Healthcare Worker Whistleblower Retaliation Protection Act. Different States have similar laws regarding whistleblower retaliation. If you feel you may fall under one of these laws, make sure you address this with an EMPLOYMENT lawyer.

As a person on SSDI,thank goodness and Senator Kennedy that the new Medicare Bill is veto proof. MDs and clinics are declining to accept Medicare patients without the supplemental insurance or an Advantage plan. This takes away another $100 plus dollars out of the SS recipients monthly check, besides the $98.00 that it cost to have Medicare Part A and B .That $200.+ on a fixed income can and really does hurt seniors and the disabled on a fixed income. I haven't even mentioned the cost of Medicare part D here.Some find that their medications are cheaper from Walmart than the actual Medicare part D plan. Having said that, I am grateful to have Medicare, I was using a free clinic for the past two plus years, I am so relieved to once again have my own doctor and clinic .

Oh, how heartbroken the parents must be, you all are in my prayers.

Ive actually caught myself saying "go to the light", then felt pretty foolish.I do think as BlueRidgeHome said that there may be a time between here and there.

http://medi-smart.com/whistleblower-protection.htm Whistleblower ( for health care workers) Law info .

http://www.nccnhr.org/uploads/HarringtonStatestaffingtableRevisedJan2008.pdf http://www.hpm.umn.edu/NHRegsPlus/index.htm These are sites that list the appropriate agency to report nursing home violations to. The Dept of regulation and licensing is the agency that deals with licensing of nurses and other professional but does not take complaints or reports that pertain to nursing home regulation. I'm still in litigation 3 years after I'm was terminated for whistle blowing, got good lawyers and am being as patient as I can be. It's a long road, and those of us who have taken it have paid a price for it, I personally have not regretted it.

Hmmm, think John McCain would've even considered this?

Yup, happened to me.My patient had Jakob Kreutzfeld Syndrome and forever more to this day I'm afraid Ill come down with it. Incubation can take years.

You are NOT the facility, you are human and only one person.The staff nurse HAS no choice but to practice within the limitations her facility provides her with, short staffing and all the other"goodies" that the facility graces her with. The buck stops at the top.

Most will say yes, not to use those "flag words", BUT why not , why do we do our employers bidding by trying to hide what the state or other regulating entities, should know about and have free access to? It's NOT just hiding things from lawyers. IF it were your baby in question, would you not want to have access to all the records and know if there was an incident report filed? I think the culture of nursing needs to change in a way that we as nurses feel safe telling the truth and not getting retaliated against by the employer.

Your boss was wrong .

YES, who hasn't?

Management is the small portion of our population who's salaries and standard of living has increased , while the rest of us have stagnated and now DECREASED.Why such a HUGE increase in corporate salaries? Again, it is greed and that has trickled down to the economy being harmed, because the lowest paid worker cannot afford even the cheapest of products anymore.The saying a high tide floats all boats is NOT true, a high tide will float only the yachts, the boats have holes in the bottom, cant stay afloat.

My own Son in Law whom I love dearly and is a really good guy owns stock and is part owner and CEO of a manufacturing firm that has China make their products. My son in law is a real "economy" type, graduated with a degree in economics.HE is worried about his products being bought here in the US, sales have gone DOWN.He has said that the Chinese workers are not treated in a way American workers would tolerate.I wonder what it would take for his company to bring jobs back to the US, Ive asked him, he said the tax codes here are prohibitive, I think he would LIKE to bring his production back here, but wont , for now. His product is NOT a luxury item, it is something we use on a daily basis .He will be voting Democrat for the first time in his life, was a fiscal conservative, still is, but does see that his products being sold at Walmart and other stores are not selling the way they should be in a good ecomomy. We NEED free trade reforms desperately before we become a third world nation. The owners of these manufacturing firms need to have incentives to bring these jobs back to the states, greed is ugly and when only a portion of the US populations living conditions have improved over the last 8 years , what does this say?

Whatever it takes to bring this dire situation to the forefront to be discussed is worth it, we are truly in trouble here in the good ol' US of A.

The OP could be a troll, whatever.The real issue here is that the continued exit of jobs is HARMING the American worker and the American economy.Not everyone can get jobs that are still readily available in our workforce.Will nurses start to worry when there is such a huge influx of nursing students and new nurses that they will have less job security? Our manufacturing jobs are going, going , GONE.This is coming back to bite us and will only get worse until the US starts employing Americans again. Wake up,and smell the coffee, which may become too expensive for the low income worker.

All or some, it STILL is putting Americans out of work, less money that will be spent buying goods here, the economic stimulus check will be spent paying rent or bills, not buying goods.Less money spent here, more money spent in other countries, while their populations are benefiting, ours is suffering, why not put America first?Where will all this end?

Only one of many many industries that have abandoned the US worker.It doesnt make any sense .When the poor cant even afford Walmart the US economy will fall even further. Why don't these companies realize when there are no jobs HERE, people wont be able to buy their products, made everywhere BUT here,anymore? Greed is an ugly thing, has ruined our country.

Kiyasmom, your'e not upsetting anyone, I hope I didnt upset YOU.Whatever you decide, I hope it makes you and your wonderful family happy and fulfilled.

I really dont want to add any negative connotations to people with children joining the military, BUT a woman with 6 children, that would mean 7 dependents for the military to provide for. I wonder IF the military would even consider the OP.I may be all wet here, but I think priorities are a bit mixed up here, teaching children honor and loyalty is fine, but it may be more honorable and loyal to the children to be their MOTHER first.