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August 07, 2008
Will Hiring Foreign Nurses Solve the Nursing Shortage?
There is a bill being discussed in Congress, HR 5924, which focuses on providing employment-based visas for foreign-educated nurses. HR 5924 refers to the Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act. The Act would allocate 60,000 visas for the next 3 years for nurses.
I’m not so sure how this will resolve the shortage long-term, as the bill ends in 2011. What then? I know one thing -- I’ll be ready to retire! The bill focuses on solving the current domestic problem of a lack of nurses. Seems to me that all of this is cyclical in nature.
Haven’t we done this before? Brought in Irish nurses? Brought in nurses from the Philippines? Do we need to do it again? What are your thoughts?
You can read more about this Act here
August 7, 2008 in Beka | Permalink
Comments
The nusring shortage worldwide is real. While many have expressed their views or difficulties in landing the right jobs life is never going to be a bed of roses. We have to challenge the odds and find the right job to be able to work in a meaningful environment.
In Singapore where I am based the health facilities are amongst the best one could find and naturally the health hub for Asia. Here we have nurses from many countries from Philippines, India, China and even from Myanmar. So similarly many opportunities could be filled by Asia nurses whose culture and work ethics are well known. Together we will make gerat strides if we work together for the greater good. Some nurses in USA or other countries may want to work in Singapore and so on. If they are not picky on salary and other adjustment related issues they should be able to find jobs.
Please feel free to contact me at avc@nursesplacementsinternational.com on how we could help. Please check our web-site at www.nursesplacementsinternational.com.
Here is to all nurses internationally - you have a noble job. Be patient and look out for opportunities. There will always be one to fit your aspirations.
I salute one and all nurses all over the world. God bless all of your in your noble deeds.
T Rajagopal
Adviser - Value Chain
Nurses Placements International
avc@nursesplacementsinternational.com
www.nursesplacementsinternational.com
Posted by: T Rajagopal | Apr 3, 2009 10:56:54 AM
I am getting really nervous after reading all of these posts. I have just been accepted to a nursing program. I see that a girl above said that she graduated in 2008 and cannot find a job. I live in Maryland and there seem to be plenty of jobs right now but I don't know if that will be the case two years from now when I graduate. I have my A.A.S. in radiographic technology (x-rays) and that field, at least in Maryland, is just about dried up. What few jobs there are, are all PRN since no one wants to pay benefits. I hope that this is not the case with nursing. Any advice from any R.N.'s out there would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Posted by: Suzie | Mar 9, 2009 10:56:19 PM
it's all so confusing. some say u.s. needs foreign nurses, while others say they are not needed. no wonder the u.s.lawmakers are also confused and sending mixed signal to these foreign nurses.hope you all make up your mind on one stand.
Posted by: foreign rn | Mar 6, 2009 1:21:02 AM
There is no shortage of nurses. I have graduated since may of 2008 with my bachelors in nursing and no one will hire me and I am not the only one. More than half of my class is having a hard time finding a job.Why do you want to hire when we are citizens of the USA and cant find a job.
Posted by: Christina | Feb 25, 2009 4:20:05 PM
Well, I believe healthcare organizations should give US Citizen RNs priority over hiring foreign nationals. Seriously, it's getting harder and harder to find a job in an acute care setting as a new grad RN.
Posted by: RexT, RN | Feb 17, 2009 12:00:56 AM
Make the nursing program affordable to citizens here...the problem is the government does not make it easier for aspiring students to finish their program.
Posted by: erlinda | Feb 1, 2009 3:12:13 PM
Make the nursing program affordable to citizens here...the problem is the government does not make it easier for aspiring students to finish their program.
Posted by: erlinda | Feb 1, 2009 3:12:13 PM
I am a foreign born nurse who got the nursing education in the USA. Despite of paying high tution fees and having decent job offers every day in my email I am not able to work as there are no visa numbers available. I would loose my knowledge if I would not utilize it. I think they have to give priority to the nurse who took education in USA and have clinical exprience in U.S. based hospital settings. What do you think about it??? I had so many illegal work offers that I have denied as I do not want to loose my licence for some money that I have earned after had work. If it continues to work like these then I would reconsider to accept those illegal offers (In such a bad economy, I have to get some money back that I have spend on my education)
Posted by: Nurse | Dec 11, 2008 5:32:58 PM
Here in the Philippines..... there are 400,000 unemployed Registered nurses. and out of that 400,000 nurses, half of them already passed the Nclex and english exams. the only thing that hinders them to go to America is the long waiting period in the immigration. also, most of the employers are looking for someone who iss currently working in aa hospital. unfortunately, most nurses here works as a call center agent and med rep. most hospitals here makes lot of money bec of over supply of nurses. for example, other hospitals will not hire nurses because they can get nurses who volunteers at their hospital without compensation. others, Most nurses here works for free for about a year or two just to say they have clinical experience but sad to say other employers doesnt count that as work experience. :D
America has the demand for nurses, Philippines is over supply. This comming december, there will be 88,000 board takers for the Local Nursing licensure exam. :D then i guess after that... from 400k unemployed nurses by next year it will be at least 450-470k unemployed nurses. :D
Posted by: Patty | Nov 13, 2008 2:41:35 AM
As a nurse of 30 years I always think I have heard and seen it all. But I was not ready for the anger and vicitimization that is palpable in some of these postings! I tend to agree with those that are saying buck up and do something about it. I make good money but over the years have taken several pay cuts as I have moved around to try different care settings, different specialties, etc. Personally I am thankful for the nursing leadership that has to wade through all the regulatory stuff, all the CNS's that help me to learn and understand the new pumps, and how to incorporate evidence into my practice. I don't want to be a CNO or a VP of nursing who has to negotiate with the docs, the nursing schools,the vendors, hear all the complaints, and I think they should get their money.
I don't think foreign nurses are the answer either. In part because of the language and practice differences but more because we are robbing other countries of the nurses they need. How does that work with us sending nurses and docs oversees on multiple mission trips, but then turning around and taking in nurses that could be put to good use in their own country?
But finally, my question to you all is what are you doing about it except blogging? Have you written to your congressperson? Do you track the bills in the media? Do you work with a nursing association that has a PAC that can influence legislations? There are tons of bills in front of congress right now for review and action. So put your money where your mouths are and help your congressional representative to sort through the options. We are nurses and we don't know the answer, but how should they know anything without us steering them a bit with information and evidence?
Go to www.aacn.nche.edu and search for HEALTH AND EDUCATION LEGISLATION IN THE 110TH CONGRESS for a view of what is going on to help.
Posted by: Margie | Oct 22, 2008 9:57:58 PM
I know how it feels when you have to communicate with someone who can not fluently speak your language. However, since nurses available in the united state is not enough to fulfill the demand, government had to hire foreign nurses to resolve the current nurses’ shortage temporarily. But I do agree that there should be more nursing schools in the United States for those who really want to be a nurse and are capable of being a good nurse.
Posted by: rejina | Sep 27, 2008 2:15:08 PM
Hiring foreign nurses will help solve the problem, but it still won't be enough to compensate for the nursing shortage. There needs to be an increase of nursing programs, educators, and students all over the world. With the baby boomer generation retiring in the near future, the entire healthcare field will experience a shortage. A long term solution must be found to fix this problem.
Posted by: Brian | Sep 21, 2008 5:57:18 PM
Nursing Shortage is a crisis everywhere.
Nurses in academia should be compensated just as much as a nurse in the field. The education side of nursing needs to increase to equalize the situation of the shortages. Bringing in nurses from other countries is a great idea but how long will they stay? We need a long term solution to this growing problem. The solution would be to increase the salary in academia and increase programs for nursing.
Posted by: Mary | Sep 12, 2008 10:29:13 PM
I have been at bedside nurse for 30 years ER/ICU pediatric and adult with extensive knowledge in open heart surgery and telemetry. The current nursing situation is bad and I will give you some topics to discuss with the panel of nurses already here in this chat and welcome any reader to discuss this topics.
1 Nursing Schools are looking for advance degree educator(MSN,PHD.. etc) but some of this educators do not have the clinical experience needed to teach a new nurse student due to her lack of knowledge at bedside herself ,maybe she will be good in research but everything they teach is not mastered . I worked with many new grads at bedside BSN/MSN/ARNP,and I can see they are so lost like a new medical student ,
As soon as they get 6-1 year and feel comfortables they initiate their territorial way to either move up or switch to other administrative nursing career in order to avoid the mandatory long hours and holidays requirement . This new generation of nurses are not easy to help and they are very self centered in their individual family time vs life style. They do not want a hospital to mandate over their free time,they want flexible schedules and demand self recognition . So after they finish the contract with the hiring bonus or advance school reimbursement they moved out .
2. Many managers and nurses administrator kiss the new nurses ambitions to protect their position in upper levels and never come to help when needed,they also do not have a clue in the reality of bedside nursing because their nurse experience is obsolete or they do not have any practice for long time . They come to the units or meetings like big Matrons dictating the policies already discussed in the upper nurses CEO's non experience nurses as well to be implemented.
3. The managers and administrators are office people no bedside nurses. Any experience nurse or seniority nurse suggesting changes are seen as a traitor or complainer and they tend to isolate them from the group.
When a code arises they hide and leave the places instead of watching the reality of inexperience nurse trained by them in the residence program. The real chaos started,and the experience ones without good paid with professionalism and compassion re enter the teaching scenario to help the new one to survive.
Clinical educators with experience to train at bedside are non seen in many departments due to paper work/meetings /committees in office . Is the new nurse explained before hired that she is liable to any wrong doing if she is in charge of a patient without a clinical educator for one year at bedside????NO so they quit after been traumatized from non experience well educated situations.
4. The problem is not american nurses vs foreign nurses ,we have good and bad ones from both sides ,the problem for me is good academic /clinical teaching and knowledge vs poor . This is the reality of our new nursing system to much bureaucracy in the hospital nursing administration. In may hospital we have 15 upper level nurses in one department implementing policies and dictating everything and none of them really come down to do 1-2 round per month to feel the burden of the reality of nurses at bedside. A nurse administrator salary is above 90K vs the clinical bedside starting at 15$ per hour . Who wants to be at bedside ?
If I was a new nurse now without the really nursing patient love to my career I will be at bedside 1 year and move up to have all the free time and flexibility to dictate rules instead of taking real liability taking care of patients ratio 20:1. Why to kill myself so much taking care of patients if I can be relax in my office writing congratulation e mails or evaluating the people I don't know but the peers evaluate,some of them criticized your career from patient satisfaction not been above 90%. Do you think is fair ? The shortage is their responsibility not ours,they should be fired if their team is overwhelmed and short with patients and they are at home during a beautiful holiday/week end and we get a bad patients satisfaction ,they should come to help is part of their job responsibility.
I don't think the nursing shortage will get better , Ithink it will become worse ,I am so scared for my future . Who will be caring for me when I get old ? Are we going to have real nurses at bedside ? I think we need the AA programs back again ,we need practice again or implement a new policy where nurses should have at least 5 years of experience before they become supervisors or managers to deal with the problem .
Posted by: Mechi | Aug 22, 2008 2:16:37 AM
We recently lost a great nurse who returned to her home country rather than continue to struggle with the myraid and arcane laws that her resident alien status incurred. If we are going to use foreign educated nurses, we had better make sure that we don't stack roadblocks in their way.
Until academia pays as well as bedside nursing, we will not see an increase in nursing faculty which will allow for more slots for the many highly qualified candidates that are turned away from our nursing schools each year.
Posted by: Sondra | Aug 21, 2008 6:40:59 AM
I have worked with nurses from many different states and countries. I cannot imaging leaving my home to move to a foreign country with a whole new set of customs, language and rules to be able to do what I love. My hat is off to those nurses who come to the US to better our staffing ratios and improve their own standard of living. The nursing shortage is a real problem, forcing nurses through the system too quickly will only cause patient and staff harm. Let's step back and make sure that the nurses we are graduating can really do the job and critically think the patient's issues. AND - let'sstop eating our young by giving them a great orientation process that sees them through the very difficult first year to retain them, mentor them and help them succeed.
Nursing can pay well, or have gravy hours if a nurse is willing ot work toward a goal. As to the nurse who wanted to be a physician instead - BOO. Nurses have their own profession. The physicians I work with have less time off than the nurses do, work longer hours and get paid only a fraction more for each hour spent working than the nurses do. Plus the nurses know a whole lot more about the patients they treat than any physician I have worked with in my career.
I am proud to be a nurse and proud that I am part of a team working to keep nurses employed and to bring more nurses to the bedside.
Posted by: mamayori | Aug 20, 2008 4:33:31 PM
Nursing Shortage is a real crisis.
With many baby boomers beginning their exit from the workforce, some are becoming old, tired and sick...patients are also becoming sicker this days (from taking too many combination of medicines that creates more medical problems than actual cure, or fix a symptom temporarily only to create more side effects).
United States is rapidly creating legal addicts at home than on the streets.
US is lacking the faculty needed to teach, that's why Nursing schools can only accommodate small number of enrollees and more are on the waiting list.
Lacking the faculty is because of very high standards required to teach (why not let the experience in hard knox school RN share their practical expertise as oppose to the requirement of having titles such as those with Masters Degree, MSN, CEN, and what else??? TNCC, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, 123... what the heck I don't even know which one is...and who's who? Only to start with a salary that 10K less than what you get paid if you stay on staff, not to mention that your work as a faculty does not stop in the classroom (consider researching, creating the lesson plan, collaborate with other faculty, updating curriculum, grading and become an advisor to problematic students.
All the responsibility’s that could easily take away your weekend time.
I agree with those that spoke about RN's who have hands on expertise be the mentor and receive a decent pay---the current pay for preceptor program is an insulting 2 bucks an hour in our department, the guy that works at the gas pump station earns more than that on tips with very little risk---
Mentors can guide new RNs navigate the treacherous path of current trends in bedside care.
I don't mean to badmouth those with extended titles...I think they deserve whatever they’re making now...but I can't help but notice that very few of whom I've met can really get hands on down and dirty ( I guess because I hang out with those that are down in the trenches most of the time, not with those so called educated elites).
I think there are many (new kids on the block or career advancement takers) who wants to enter Nursing (and I sure do hope that they understand the commitment in doing---NURSING---not just the title and pay of a nurse.
Some people see that Nurses drives around with fancy cars and live in nice houses that they are doing really well.
That’s why they think that RN can be a lucrative career…I don’t disagree, especially if you cut back on sleep and spend your days off doing overtime because of shortage in staffing.
I hope that those on the waiting list for Nursing course are in for the real work.
I heard, but have not verified, that the waiting line to get into a Nursing Program is average 12-24 months…again, this is not verified, but could likely be true.
So now we have few entries with more exit and additional sicker population. Are we beginning to understand the crisis?
It’s no longer looming…it’s here and there is no immediate solution provided by our Harvard graduate legislators.
With the staffing ratio at a critical level and stress that is tearing the RN’s apart…not to mention that their family’s are affected as well, more Nurses are leaving the bedside either completely walk out of Nursing, move to home care, and other specialty areas that are less back breaking.
The bedside is now continually depleted. It won’t be surprising to know if there is an increasing number of RN license parked compared to new issuance.
The increasing rate of hospital acquired infections, fall, ulcers and other preventable hospital acquired issues are brought about by short staffing.
With the increasing turn around time, constant flow of discharges and admission like a revolving door because of HMO’s short stay policy, it’s no surprising that RN’s tend more on the paperwork than the actual hands on care.
With lees and less help and more admissions and increasing turn around…nurse are dropping out like a bug zapped by an electronic zapper.
Surprisingly, most HR’s, hospital institution are looking for experience RN’s (ssshhhh let’s keep this a secret…they are actually stealing Nurses from John so that they can fill the vacancy of Peter).
Most of the experience RN’s are already doing 2 full time jobs.
I don’t question the quality of care here…but I certainly consider that this affects their quality of life with their own family…not receiving enough quality of the RN parent’s time for their children.
Most hospitals refuse to spend money on refresher course for old timer’s who have been away from Nursing for years…and also provide mentoring program for newly graduates like a residency program that can cater to a larger number of newly graduates.
Our own backyard has a pool of talents…the semi-retired going back to work force, the newly graduates waiting to get their feet wet, the LPN’s who are already engage but are not allowed to hold the needles.
Here’s where they should source the RN’s---
• Semi-retired experience RN’s (provide refresher course and attract them with incentives…including acceptable staffing ratio if your 50 and up you won’t be interested in a 90k/annual salary if you are expected to beat yourself 12 hours shifts with 12-15 patients to care for).
• Residency program (OJT) for newly graduate RN’s. (Again a decent staffing ratio will not only attract this group but will also improve the retention).
• Provide educational upgrade and training for LPNs to transition easily to RN.
This’ll probably take 12 months…this is not a short cut but it’s the closest, cheapest and the quickest.
California is the first state to implement the adequate ratio staffing and they have the least vacancy number all over US…why?
Nurses flock to work in California because of the improved staffing ratio.
Why not implement it nationwide under strict compliance.
With the new rules of CMS on P4P…beginning Oct 2008 every institution will be force to adequately staff their unit anyway…so as not to lose reimbursements on preventable hospital acquired complications.
Here in NY half of the Hospitals and Nursing homes that I know have vacancy.
Stats evidently revealed that NY has the highest vacancy rate at 10%.
Now talking about foreign RN’s why don’t we just quit bad mouthing foreign RN’s ---that’s not to say that there really are foreign RN’s that are incompetent (but so as other RN’s that completed their study here…regardless of race, be it white, black, yellow, brown, black and blue…there are good one’s just as there are bad one’s).
Why don’t we just accept that we, RN’s took the same oath as Nightingale did some years back, let’s stick with it---I’m not trying to defend the foreign RN’s just because I myself came from another country…I have to admit I struggled and learn the ropes…now I can intubate and run a code---because of my passion to learn anything ----- I can excel in many ways nursing or whatevahhh!
Performance and competency is individual driven not by race.
The band aid solution is always convenient, lift the cap on retrogression and issue 60,000 visas to foreign graduates in the next 3 years may not be the best solution, but at least it gives them a credit that they are --- “doing something”.
That could actually add to the expected increase in demand for Nursing task in the coming years, remember we are just entering the first year of the baby boomers exit (FYI there’s 76 million baby boomers those that were born between 1946-60 throughout US…They represent 28% of the total population today. I don’t know the exact number of those that are still alive but they certainly are a huge number).
After the boomer era, comes the gen-xer’s which comprise of 41 million born between 1968-79, if you look at the gap…boy that’s almost half. I’m on the gen-x and I should expect to provide care for the population almost double the size of my batch.
Another critical issue that is not gaining media attention are our school Nurses. More kids that have physical and mental challenges are allowed to enroll in schools that have special-ed these days, thanks to the no kids left behind program.
This children are diagnose with numerous medical issues ranging from DM insulin dependent, diet or pill controlled, Seizure, Congenital Problems, Autism, ADD, ADHD and a host of other problems that requires highly skilled medical assistance at school and the average RN has to take care of hundreds if not thousands of school kids.
The school Nurse is not only limited to band aid..but rather expose to a more challenging role.
So to all parents…please be nice to them when they call you to pick your child because of fever, colds or diarrhea. They know what they are up against with.
To those RN’s that thinks they can still very well survived without foreign RN’s…look around your department and count the RN’s that are foreign and remove them from the list.
See if you can handle the potential increase of your assignment without them. If you can do that then go ahead recommend to the congress that foreign sourcing is such a bad idea.
We’ll gladly say hasta la vista!
Good luck!
Posted by: Fitline Champ | Aug 18, 2008 4:06:20 PM
I remember the nursing shortage in the 80's. I had just graduated nursing school (BSN) and the hospital center I went to for an interview was recruiting from overseas. They would pay $5000 (no, not a typo!) to move a foreign nurse to their institution but would not pay $800 (again, not a typo) to relocate me from one state to another. Since then I have been away from the bedside at a desk job for over 10 years, but would like to do some per diem work, but I can't find a "refresher" course to update my skills. I would bet there are quite a few of us over 50's who might be interested in picking up some shiftwork, but need a refresher.
Posted by: Ellen | Aug 18, 2008 10:18:32 AM
I'm a Retired & Disabled R.N. Employed at various Levels immediately out of Nursing School as Assistant Charge Nurse of Pediatrics, progressed on to Reg. Fl., only I.V. Nurse plus Inserted all Levine Tubes Pre Op & All Bsp & Psp Dye Tests, Emergency Room, Labor & Delivery Room, School Nursing for 3 Elementary Schools, EastConn Nurse, & Summer Camp Nurse. My Nursing Experience has been very Rounded in Various Areas & States. Yes, There Definitely Is A Nursing Shortage And Will Be For Many Decades To Come; Sad To Say!
This Bill coming up in Congress Not only is Addressing Granting 3 Year Visa's to Foreign BSN'S or RN'S - it also Addresses the Fact of Making It Easier For American Men & Women Obtain An Education in Nursing. If indeed this Bill Is Passed In Congress, this will not only put A Bandaide On This Problem - It Could Solve The Problem Especially If Granting The Foreign Nurses A Minimum Of 5 Year Visa's With Definite Capabilities Right Now Of Extending The 5 Year Visa's. I have worked with Foreign BSN'S & R.N'S and found all of them very pleasant, hard working, willing to learn, and very willing to Learn Our Culture & Improve Their English Speaking Language. They would be a Plus To Our Nursing Profession !!
Posted by: Eileen Curran, R.N. | Aug 17, 2008 11:18:26 PM
I worked with foreign nurses in the early 80's and these girls could not finish their 2 year obligation to the hospital so they could go to California fast enough. Not only that but after failing the boards three times in Texas they would fly to other states to try to pass boards until they finally would pass. Many also tried to find a husband so they would be able to stay in the states. The patients were constantly complaining about the lack of care the patient received (if the patient needed the bedpan, the foreign nurse would go locate an aide and have the aide place the patient on the bedpan since this task was beneath them!) and the rudeness and the use of a foreign language while providing what care the patient did receive was very upsetting to our patients. Many of these nurses refused to learn the culture and would often say they were not required to adapt to the culture as it was "foreign" to them. This legislation will not help with the current shortage at all. Utilize the LVN/LPN's that are looking for jobs and stop using the bottom line of the almighty dollar as the reason for the staffing scenarios. The patients now are much sicker and require more care than even 5 years ago. I recently had bilateral knee replacements and having to wait 30 minutes for someone to break free to help me out of bed to go to the bathroom after the foley was removed just that morning, was horrendous and very uncomfortable for me as the patient--but there was only one aide for a 30 bed surgical ortho unit and she was working as fast and hard as she could--and the nurse was responsible for 15 of those 30 patients and was expecting at least 7 new post op patients that day as well as the discharges that would occur before the admissions could be accepted. So given this scenario why would anyone in their right mind want to go through nursing school and then work under these conditions and not be paid what they should be paid--only what the institution they worked for deemed the appropriate talent to be worth? Utilize the money involved in this bill to educate our own people and offer incentives to the employers to offer better salaries and working conditions than stealing from Peter to pay Paul.
Posted by: Trauma Momma | Aug 17, 2008 10:51:17 AM
I am an Australian Registered nurse who would dearly love to work in the USA. I guess ,I too would be considered foriegn, despite Australia maintaining one of the highest educational standards for Bachelor of Nursing graduates. There is no doubt there is a world wide shortage of Registered Nurses and my country too has encouraged foriegn nurses into our nursing industry. My question is:
Why when there is such a desperate shortage of nurses do countries such as the USA make it so very difficult for those from not only a highly recognised nursing educational system but also an English speaking country to:
1. Find appropriate employment- I specialise in geriatric care or Aged Care, I've not yet seen a recruiter seeking Registered Nurses for this sector
2. Gain entry into the country for work purposes, including visas.
Posted by: Jodie | Aug 16, 2008 3:51:19 AM
There are MANY LPN's/ LVN's whatever your state calls them that have more knowledge then we give them credit for. Working for years in an acute care setting they were the ones who taught me and many other new grads the true meaning of bedside nursing. These wonderful underpaid and often looked down upon nurses, usually have as much if not more knowledge then the foreign nurses. Why do we not let all of the LPN’s /LVN’s take the NCLEX and just see how many pass? I bet the pass rate is far above the foreign grads and may even compare to the nurses just coming out of school here in the states.
Are so wrapped up in the degree that we contiue to ignore that on the job training is often equal to a formal education in many instances including nursing. I think we to proud and can't ever get past this? Give the LPN's the chance to take the NCLEX and see what happens More RN's is my bet.
Posted by: confidential | Aug 15, 2008 11:36:56 AM
In this day and age why be a nurse and be exposed to disease , abusive families and patients when I could be a doctor and get paid much much more and only have to spend a minimal amount of time with the patient and their families hit the golf course once a week and get "Perks" from drug companies. expense paid conferences for a week. As a professional for over 30 years I see residents come into a program every July and rely on a nurse to guide them and keep them from making a poor decision or remind them to order a treatment for a patient only to have them in 4 years make 20 X what the nurse does....If i knew 30 years ago what I do now I would have chosen to be an MD not a nurse..
Posted by: Deb | Aug 15, 2008 10:00:26 AM
I have been a critical care nurse for the last 13 yrs, the last 5 as a contingent due to the fact that my hospital has only 12 hour shifts on their critical care units and I am unable/unwilling to put my child in day care for 14 1/2 hours a day. Many of my colleagues that have had children have either gone the contingent route and we only work weekends or moved out of the hospital setting where there are shorter shifts. Now our hospital that believes in "family centered" care is considering 24 hour visting hours even in the ICUs. I experience more stress from family members than any other entity in the hospital. They know no boundaries, come behind the nurses station, into other patient rooms looking for you and they always have reams of information from the internet usually not from a reliable source. Physicians come to the ICU before visiting hours to avoid this making the work lives of the RNs that much worse. We frequently work down a secretary for a unit that is split into 2 sides, the patients are sicker and it is not uncommon for us to have 2-3 patients at a time in our 20 bed unit that weigh>400 lbs. The hospital wants us to do more and keeps pushing contingents to come back part or full time. They refuse to add 8 hour shifts in the critical care unit because 36 hours is considered full time and saves them money. I understand costs of health care are rising, but that is due to doctors not being able to tell family any more care is futile and we should consider letting nature take its course. It seems nursing is always the profession/entity to suffer to save money.
Posted by: Tricia | Aug 15, 2008 9:49:07 AM
I find it interesting that our "wise" congressmen have come up with a bandaide approach to the present nursing shortage. When will they learn that we need to invest in american students who want to go into nursing. We have had many shortages in the 40+ years I have been in nursing and they always seem to resort to bringing individuals who qualifications and educational levels are below what is expected of a RN in our acute care settings. Let's spend the money on educating our citizens instead of taking from countries that already need their nurses. Also, they may want to determine ways that nursing schools can assist RN's in obtaining their advanced degrees so more slots are open to admit students to the programs existing here in the USA. I am able to teach clinicals to nursing students, but am unable to teach in a nursing program because my Masters is in education. Doesn't it seem odd that with 40 years of experience (critical care) and a masters in education (oops it's not nursing), I am considered unqualified to teach our future nurses. Lastly, congress needs to keep the money "home" and help educate the students here in USA, not from somewhere else. If I am not mistaken, it is MY money they are spending.
Posted by: Jackie | Aug 14, 2008 9:18:25 PM
