What if ......?????

Moogie · Aug 26, 2009

I was just sitting here watching some news and as usual its about this economy and the healthcare debates at the town halls. I heard an economist say "In 6 or 7 years medicare and social security wont even be around anymore"

Was this the same economist who predicted that we'd be in a recession now?

Exactly. The economists can only make educated guesses. They don't know for certain. No one does.

I think you're wise to keep informed on what's happening with the national economic picture as well as to know what's going on in your organization. How can you best build your own job security? Are you proactive on the job? Do you serve on committees and give extra effort? Do you have special skills such as memory care? Would you consider going back to school if that was necessary to ensure future employment?

Some facilities may end up downsizing. Others may end up restructuring in order to remain competitive in the changing health care market. Changes in the acuity of residents as well as the case mix may end up meaning that there will be more nursing jobs in the future. Will we see more LTACs? More hospice facilities? More ALFs and home care?

I hope things do eventually change. I think the nurse to resident ratios in many LTCs are insane---on these boards you can find posts by nurses who say their facilities staff only one nurse (RN or LPN/LVN) to sixty or more residents on a shift. At some point, someone is going to figure out that these ratios are unsafe for residents and staff and, as facility owners and operators are held responsible for horrible staffing, one consequence may be that they will be forced to hire more nurses. I can tell you, if I had a parent in a nursing home, paying the outrageous rates that are charged (even to residents on Medicare), I would pitch a fit if I knew the nurse had 59 other residents under his/her care for a shift. :angryfire

sasha2lady · Aug 26, 2009

Very true. I have close to 30 just me alone at my facility. Mine are a mixture of long term on one unit and then I have a certain amount of Rehab (medicare) pts on the other unit which require much more than my long terms. The mgmt have been cutting us back as it is...taking hours from us nurses and they cut our raises in half...yet they get their big bonuses. I see the anxiety in some of our assisted living patients...one was watching the news one night and got in such a fit of anxiety that her son had to come get her and take her home overnight...she was convinced the world was going to end that night and she wanted to be awake for it to see what was going on. Its an overall scary thought. I would definitely go back to school if it was paid for if such need ever came about. Ive always liked long term care for some reason...Ive never had a desire to work in a hospital or clinic, definitely no peds or ob. Either way...this whole economy worries me and theres not anything I can do about it. Wish I had a magic wand at times like this.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 26, 2009

At the present time, 77 million middle-aged people from the Baby Boomer generation live and work in the U.S. The youngest Boomers are 45 years of age, and the oldest of this cohort will all turn 63 years old this year.

This translates into a massive wave of 77 million people who will become elderly, old, and gray within the next few years. These people are still going to need healthcare services until their final days on earth arrive, whether the money to care for them is there or not.

In addition, the people who were born during the Silent Generation (1920 to 1945) are still in need of healthcare services, as many of them are still living longer.

Moogie · Aug 26, 2009

Very true. I have close to 30 just me alone at my facility. Mine are a mixture of long term on one unit and then I have a certain amount of Rehab (medicare) pts on the other unit which require much more than my long terms. The mgmt have been cutting us back as it is...taking hours from us nurses and they cut our raises in half...yet they get their big bonuses.

:angryfire

I see the anxiety in some of our assisted living patients...one was watching the news one night and got in such a fit of anxiety that her son had to come get her and take her home overnight...she was convinced the world was going to end that night and she wanted to be awake for it to see what was going on.

I remember residents getting very anxious when watching the news when I worked LTC. One resident used to turn on the TV in the commons area at about 6:30 AM to watch the cable news programs at a VERY LOUD VOLUME. That was enough to increase MY stress level! :scrm:

Its an overall scary thought. I would definitely go back to school if it was paid for if such need ever came about. Ive always liked long term care for some reason...Ive never had a desire to work in a hospital or clinic, definitely no peds or ob. Either way...this whole economy worries me and theres not anything I can do about it. Wish I had a magic wand at times like this.

From your lips to God's ears. I wish I had a magic wand, too.

Sensoria17 · Aug 27, 2009

Just two more years until the Babyboomers are eligible for Medicare! Woohoo! Maybe I'll get a job then.