[smarty77]

IF you believe in the laws of supply and demand....eventually the hospitals and public will willingly pay for superior nursing care. Unfortunately, more people are going to die and suffer if we wait for the capitalistic route.There are hospitals out there that don't have the turnover and retention problems....but not many. Some hospitals are rejecting the JCAHO crap (and a lot of it is political crap), not taking medicare patients, and the nurses who work there LOVE their jobs, I'll try and find the article to share. I do think it is reasonable to have some government control/regulation of hospitals. There is actually some legislation that has been kicked around, but never passed, that would make the hospitals publically report their staffing numbers. There was also legislation that actually passed in some states that makes the hospitals report nosocomial infection rates, but I do believe they have weaseled their way around it some how. Anyway, I think that nurses need to be much more vocal about the positive role they play in healthcare, how understaffing increases death and infection in hospitals and nursing homes (think about how much money we spend on nsg home residents w/urosepsis, decubitus,etc.?). The media is woefully ignorant on what nurses do. Once again I must reiterate that I don't mind the poop and stuff if I didn't have to go into work (especially night shift) and play nsg assistant/nurse/janitor/etc. I can't practice holistically and safely because we do not have enough/some nights any nursing assistants to help us. Thats where the bitterness and irritation just take over :firedup: I feel demeaned!!!!!!!

[justatraveler]

Originally Posted by smarty77

IF you believe in the laws of supply and demand....eventually the hospitals and public will willingly pay for superior nursing care. Unfortunately, more people are going to die and suffer if we wait for the capitalistic route.There are hospitals out there that don't have the turnover and retention problems....but not many. Some hospitals are rejecting the JCAHO crap (and a lot of it is political crap), not taking medicare patients, and the nurses who work there LOVE their jobs, I'll try and find the article to share. I do think it is reasonable to have some government control/regulation of hospitals. There is actually some legislation that has been kicked around, but never passed, that would make the hospitals publically report their staffing numbers. There was also legislation that actually passed in some states that makes the hospitals report nosocomial infection rates, but I do believe they have weaseled their way around it some how. Anyway, I think that nurses need to be much more vocal about the positive role they play in healthcare, how understaffing increases death and infection in hospitals and nursing homes (think about how much money we spend on nsg home residents w/urosepsis, decubitus,etc.?). The media is woefully ignorant on what nurses do. Once again I must reiterate that I don't mind the poop and stuff if I didn't have to go into work (especially night shift) and play nsg assistant/nurse/janitor/etc. I can't practice holistically and safely because we do not have enough/some nights any nursing assistants to help us. Thats where the bitterness and irritation just take over :firedup: I feel demeaned!!!!!!!

Many are willingly paying for superior care right now. In Thailand for instance. And actually they are paying less and getting more.

So you just want more nusing assistants not more money. Correct?

We can't get people to understand that they have to take all their antibiotics, not stop when the are "better". Do you really think they would understand infection rates etc. Most people are of the mentality that "it won't happen to me". They see an old man who's abused his body for years and is still alive and just know that they can do the same thing.

The majority of people in hospitals are not Yuppies or intelligent even. Yuppies wash their hands, jog, eat organic foods etc. Good health is not usually associated with the poor, illiterate, and homeless. So the people who could afford superior care don't need it that often.

Ever read the side of a ciggarette package? How many smokers take it to heart?

BTW it was NURSES who wanted JCAHO years ago. Be careful what you wish for.....................

[smarty77]

no, I'm not too keen on nursing assistants....how many night shifts have I felt sorry for the nsg.assist. and given her 9 patients (out of 29) because the acuity is so high (always total care pts on our floor and we have a step down unit)...then I turn around and she is on the computer! It would be great to have more nurses, but I have worked in that environment too, and it helps to have someone turn, feed, etc. It is a no win situation....