Nursing Shortage

[naskippy]

There will always be a shortage of nurses.....................its historical

I agree, but why is it historical? Let me share some of my observations and opinions I have formed over the past 25 years as a nurse. I bet there are other nurses out there that have been around as long or longer than I have that can relate to what I am talking about. Bet many that have not been around as long can relate too.

It is the patients and we the nurses that suffer in this so called nursing shortage. Yes, there needs to be a greater number of nurses, but more importantly the employers and the governing State Boards of Nursing in each state are much to blame...yet they are the first to yell "Nursing Shortage" when they are the major contributors to the problem.

For those of you old enough to remember back in the early 1980's a wonderful thing happened that was a move in the right direction to help solve many of the problems that inhibited nurses from freely traveling the United States and quickly getting a nursing license, as each state use to have their own State Board Exams and criteria of what they considered a passing score. There was a brain storm of an idea to consolidate and implement a national testing system for the state board examinations. Every state offered the test on the same day nation wide several times a year and it was the same test...also known as the NCLEX. Once implemented there for a while you could just walk into a State Board of Nursing office and show them your license in one state and they would for a small fee give you a nursing license in there state right there on the spot, as they knew the nurse had competently passed the NCLEX exam. This was WONDERFUL! Of course this was short lived. What started out as a wonderful idea has since been abominated by each state wanting to "individualize" things and set themselves apart from other states somehow thinking this makes them "better" or set them apart as a leader for the future. Politics have once again abominated the system to where we see it today, once again right back were we started in the early 1980’s before the NCLEX, now taking often times months to get a permanent license in a state of which the nurse is applying.

Now what are they doing...Many states have started to see the errors of their ways in the ruins of their once good system they abominated and want to restart what I feel is the cycle all over again. This time implementing the Nurse Licensure Compact with the NCSBN. This basically is to accomplish the goal of states coming together in agreement to issue one license, similar to that of a drivers license and the nurse could then practice nursing in any of the states that are a member of the NLC. EXCUSE ME!!!! You did this once back in the early 80's with all 50 States and you screwed it all up! So what is going to be different this time???

Moving on...I live in Southern Indiana and we have ads galore in the newspapers, on hospital or employer websites on the internet etc. All of which "appear" to be begging for help. One hospital had a large front page interview with hospital officials in which they were begging for help and told of the numerous positions they needed to fill in their newly expanded hospital and health care network. Yet, I have gone and made application on line 3 times, have went in person to the HR department and inquired and filled out application once and I have emailed twice the HR Department recruiter. I have never gotten an interview, not a reply to my emails, no phone calls or letters...NOTHING! I have spoken with many other nurses I know who have shared with me similar or the same experience. I have also inquired and sent applications to other area hospitals and have basically gotten the same response...nothing. Currently I work for a nursing home as a Weekend Supervisor. I have a coworker who recently passed her state boards and was told by one of the surrounding hospitals to make sure and come put in her application when she passes her test...she has been treated similar. Not a call, not a letter, not an interview...NOTHING. So you, the employers scream “nursing shortage” and uses this excuse to calm the troops already working for you under extreme staffing shortage and adverse conditions including ridiculous and unsafe patient care loads…yet you have nurses lined up that are begging for employment with you and you won’t even give them a phone call or interview? It’s a game! The same game I have seen for the past 25 years as a registered nurse.

So, why is there a nursing shortage where you work or in the state you live in? I have concluded over the years it is not just a numbers game as to how many nurses are graduating...but it is also a political game with both employers and by the State Boards of Nursing. Just something for you to look at and think about. I have been observing this for over 25 years...I think I finally have caught on to a couple of significant reasons we have such a “nursing shortage” all the time…and its not just the number of nurses in the work force.

Thanks

[cntrybleu]

I live in New Jersey and the shortage is being felt strongly here. How is it where you live? Any suggestions on why and what we as nurses can do about it?
Our shortages are mainly due to working conditions and poor retirement compensation packages.
My suggestions include getting politically active and trying to force legislation regarding set maximum ratios. For those of us who have been doing this for a while, we know that since healthcare has become a business, our working conditions have declined in the name of saving the bottom line.
I also think we should have a support system in place in the hospitals for staff who are feeling the stress of our jobs.
What do you think?

I actually think even though I work for the state, we are still quite underpaid. For RN's here, I think they are happy with the pay they are recieving.

[Skymoma]

Your Jobs Wouldnt Be So Stressing If You Had Better Professors!
Isn't that right?