"Practical" way to ease nursing shortage

[TheCommuter]

In the face of such a potential crisis, hospitals have failed to make use of a readily available and highly qualified workforce: licensed practical nurses (LPNs). For a variety of reasons, hospitals have cut back their LPN staff at exactly the time that bedside caregivers are in short supply. To address the nation's nursing needs and, with the aim of guaranteeing the highest quality of cost-effective patient care, hospitals must look to re-integrating LPNs as a critical component of nursing staff.

http://www.afscme.org/publications/14100.cfm

[DebanamRN, MSN, RN]

LPNs on the floor of "my" hospital are being laid off. LPNs in the ER are being given more responsibility! Go figure.