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Discussion: S. 497, The Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act of 2009 (23 comments ↓)
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Visitor Comments
Mags
June 2, 2009, 2:23pm (report abuse)Some of it are questionable. Isn't clear as well where the money will come from.
I think this would just be one of those bills that will never make it.
And besides there is no nursing shortage.
NurseBarb
June 3, 2009, 10:07pm (report abuse)If we do not soon take action to implement training our nurses to educate future nurses we will lack safe practioners at the bedside. The babyboomer generation will place an incredible strain on our already overburdened healthcare system. And to the person who claimed "there is no nursing shortage" you are evidently unaware that the average working RN is currently between 45 and 50 years old. How long do you think RN's can work 12 hour shifts?? The retirement of these nurses will result in vacancies we will be unable to fill. We need to prepare for increased needs of nurses and create strategies to educate safe, reliable professionals.
Mags
June 4, 2009, 2:50am (report abuse)So, there's really a nursing shortage?
How come everytime I go to a certain nursing forum they always say there isn't a nursing shortage?
There is a nursing shortage
June 4, 2009, 11:32pm (report abuse)Oh, yes there is. They are probably just trying to spin it to their favor. 'No shortage' if it doesn't favor them, 'there's a shortage' if it favors them.
The truth? There really is.
But this bill is not the answer. It's a step on the right direction but this particular bill has so much flaws.
If tax payers are going to pay for education grants and to increase the salaries of nurse educators, I want a guarantee attached that nurses being educated through this have at least a 3-5 year guaranteed commitment to stay and nurse educators don't teach nursing students xenophobia and discrimination against their fellow nurses that happens to be from another country.
I want a modified-matching program as well similar to what they do in medicine but in this case new grads should be matched to areas that has a shortage in addition to the 3-5 years guarantee to stay as nurses.
This bill does not guarantee anything from the other side just more 'give me more money'.
Future patient
June 7, 2009, 1:21pm (report abuse)After reading the comments here and reading the text of the bill again I do see the one-sidedness of this bill.
These are grants and not loans coming from American taxes we are talking about here.
And no attachments or conditions on what the nurse and the nurse educators to be funded by these grants needs to do in return? No way !!
I keep reading nurses quitting in 1,3,5 years time-frames and are all applying on highly urbanized areas only and keep complaining of no vacancies. Jeez.
I definitely agree in putting conditions but there are none written here whatsoever.
I do not want to pay someone's tuition to just quit in a couple of years and do not even apply to rural areas and areas where they are needed most.
3-5 years is short. That's the usual quitting time. I say minimum 5-7 years plus matching to rural, under-served areas or areas where there is shortage. Plus assurance they will report for work in a severe pandemic or they have to re-pay everything.
US Nurse
June 11, 2009, 11:40am (report abuse)http://washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_HR_2536.html
Look to see what foreign nurses think about us nurses.
You don't like your job.
You need them to support your nursing practice and there is an " Emergency"
You are afraid to compete with foreign nurses.
Read the other bill it is enlightening.
Red
June 11, 2009, 2:32pm (report abuse)What makes you think that it may just be you as well pretending to be a "foreign nurse" and starting all the commotions?
Best if people stick with issues than try to agitate more people or play with their emotions.
Just ignore all comments not related to the bill.
NO SHORTAGE !!!
June 28, 2009, 3:58am (report abuse)There is no shortage !!
No need for NEED.
Waste of tax money
July 7, 2009, 3:23am (report abuse)The nursing shortage is a MYTH. Just save tax money for better things. There is absolutely no need for this bill.
Show me the evidence
July 16, 2009, 10:22am (report abuse)A number of comments have stated there is no nursing shortage. There is no evidence to support this claim. There is evidence to show that there is a shortage now and and even greater one in the future. Just because during a slow economy where unemployment is high, citizens have lost their helath care coverage and consumer spending is down does mean there are fewer nurse job openings but it does not mean the shortage is over. There are not enough nurse educators to teach the nurses needed for the future nurse workforce, the evidence is there to support this claim. Why? Because once you are working as a nurse it just does not make much sense to pay for school to become a facutly only to wind up making less money than you did before your obtained an advanced degree. Also, your advanced degree counterparts are making 20% more that you are. Why would you do this? If your love is to teach, in nursing, you can do that in many higher paying positions other than nurse faculty.
To Show me the evidence
July 18, 2009, 7:29am (report abuse)Try asking US Nurse and research all her comments on this site.
Seems like there are your fellow nurses that thinks so.
I don't agree with her though and agree with you.
US Nurse
July 19, 2009, 1:06am (report abuse)I believe that when nurses start to retire there will be a shortage of nurses. I don't believe there is an emergency where the USA needs to import foreign nurses ASAP.
Nurses with a MSN can make more money working at the bedside than teaching new nurses. Before any foreign nurses are recruited to work in the USA at a cost up to $30K per nurse, we should be investing in US trained nurses.
Best to be in the situation of educating Americans then importing healthcare workers.
...
July 30, 2009, 9:05am (report abuse)There must be a restriction placed on U.S. nursing schools that they will only accept citizens as students. Why are schools turning away qualified citizens and accepting foreigners? And if you don't think that is happening you are a fool.
US Nurse Janet
August 6, 2009, 2:56pm (report abuse)I also have seen the problem with nursing schools turning away US citizens in favor for outsiders. This is a bad practice on their part and should be stopped. Futhermore, I have worked with imported foreign nurses and many are not up to par with standards and they cut corners. The facilities use the shortage as an excuse when there is a complaint from a patient to smooth it over and from what I have seen they purposely short the floors to save money. I walked away from hospital nursing a while back due to these and many other problems which made it very dangerous to practice my craft. Much had to do with over burdening the nurse with so many patients. I do believe there is a shortage in certain areas of the country such as big cities and rural areas and they need to be addresses.
A Satire by a US RN
August 10, 2009, 8:10am (report abuse)- There's no shortage of nurses!
- The so-called swine flu is only 'mild'; it's no deadlier than the common cold/flu!
- However, if it gets worse I won't report for work and would not take no 'rushed' H1N1 vaccine so that I won't transmit it to patients (I'm not gonna work anyway)
-Remember, I think there's no nursing shortage and I expect everyone will report for work (except me!) in the fall and winter when the pandemic is expected to get worse.
-Keep 'foreign nurses' out !! I don't care about patients if me and some of my colleagues won't report for work. I'll take the risk!! Just keep the 'foreign nurses' out!
-However, if me, spouse, children and any relatives gets ill I expect nurses and other front liners to be there to take care of us when we need hospitalization and I'll blame the hospital for intentionally short-staffing. I'll blame the Gov't as well for not taking care of us
-Lastly, if things really gets worse I can just say "The population needs culling anyway"
A Professional RN
August 21, 2009, 2:32pm (report abuse)I am appauled at the unprofessional outburst on this site from those who claim to be nurses. You can't argue with evidence. There is definately a nursing shortage in most of the US and the world for that matter. It has not hit full force in the US as of yet but it will. Have you ever been in a hospital where you were gravely ill? An uncaring nurse is a scary thought! Do you even remember the 'Nightingale Pledge'? Nurses should have compassion and understanding and knowledge! And I am not reading any of that in some of these comments! Please, if I am ever your patient, just walk away I would be better off alone! This bill in question is not the answer as it stands; but, I think with tweeking and true nurses inpput, it may be a definate start. Nurses who make a difference are those who can contribute positive attributes to my profession and for those of you who do not 'care' ~~ why are you in it?
Ohio RN
September 23, 2009, 3:41pm (report abuse)As a MSN student, I am researching this bill. I am shocked at the responses above and would be frightened to think the nurses who have such terrible grammar and cannot complete a sentence, would have the knowledge to care for critically ill patients.
Iowa Nurse
October 2, 2009, 6:31pm (report abuse)Also an MSN student - and would really like to be an educator - yes, the research shows educators are paid much less than the nurses they teach.... odd reality.
and yes, it may appear there is not a shortage of nurses at this moment in time, but the older nurses who are working during the recession, d/t needing more income will be quiting as soon as the money issues recede. The number of educators is insufficient to handle the numbers of students wanting to get into nursing right now; and this situation will only get worse as our experienced, older nurses retire.
...
October 12, 2009, 9:45am (report abuse)As long as NO PART of this money goes toward educating foreigners I am for it. We need to take care of our own.
Fair RN
October 27, 2009, 2:03am (report abuse)I’m a US educated RN and I’m just shockingly surprised by some of the comments posted on this site, which to me are nothing more than pure hate and racism toward foreign educated nurses. They are not imported like commodities, they are skilled professionals badly needed to fill in the gap created by shortage of nursing workforce. And to your dismay, yes the hospitals and government will continue to invite foreign graduates in health care to apply and work in the US. Unfortunately our ignorance permits you to ignore the reality that those professionals have to meet minimum standards of safety and effectiveness before they are allowed to practice. I never encountered a foreign nurse cutting corners and be deficient in compassion. In fact, I found them hardworking and reliable, though due to cultural and language differences may lack communication skills. But they don't call out sick every paid Friday some of you do. At least be thankful.
Fair RN
October 27, 2009, 2:05am (report abuse)A little more on the above xenophobist nurses. Just for your information, in a unit where I work (Interventional Cardiology), some 90-95 % of night shift nurses are foreigners as a lot of our nurses don’t want to work night shift. Thus, aren’t you supposed to be thankful that someone is covering the shift that you are refusing to work, without which you were required to rotate shifts? Aren’t you supposed to be thankful because there nurses who came to help you out, without which your employer would have overburdened you with 8-10 patients? I understand your insecurity, yet why don’t you enlighten yourself and be confident so you will have a competitive edge. But, because of cynicism and ignorance of nurses like yourself, our time and energy is lost bitching around over a minor issue rather than promoting the profession of Nursing. But, next time at least watch your grammar and come up with something intellectually significant that contributes to uplifting NURSING.
NewGrad
November 11, 2009, 3:08pm (report abuse)The nursing shortage is a total MYTH! Go check the posts on indeed.com about nurses all across our country, namely the new graduate nurses that have not been able to get work for 6 or more months! I am one of them. Graduated in may 09 with a masters degree as a family nurse practitioner and NO ONE will even give me the time of day let alone an interview. No one wants a new grad because we require a little training and investment of time. All the while the headlines cry there are no nurses, WRONG! What they really mean is there are not enough experienced nurses that require no investment. So instead of hiring US new grads companies hire foreigners because they are cheaper. Remember that the next time your laying in a hospital bed and the nurse speaks no english. It's not just me, there are hundreds of thousands of us new grads unable to get work. Please check nursing forums like indeed.com, allnurses.com and you'll see what I mean. It's disgusting.
RN searching for work
November 30, 2009, 1:45pm (report abuse)I can tell you that in New York City, there are few RN positions open at hospitals. I am a new grad with a BSN and my RN credentials and there are few opportunities. I have been submitting my resume, networking and resubmitting my resume for the last 5 months. Hiring managers and recruiters at every hospital in Manhattan tell me they hope this standstill in hiring new grads has been going on for the past year and they hope it improves in 2010. I've contacted recruiters in Oregon, Idaho and New Hamphire and I've heard the same message. The nursing shortage is a myth. I was a top nursing student with a 3.8 GPA. LOL. I'm working a temporary position as a pharmaceutical sales rep to pay the bills. Now that's something I never thought would happen!