March 29, 2004
Kudos to the nurse in San Marcos, Calif., who
responded to your March 1 (CA, SC Feb. 23) article,
“Can
We Fix It?” (“Bedside
nurses are the real experts on the shortage,”
Readers Forum, online) She hit the nail right
on the head: The only way to fix the nursing
shortage is expensive—have more staff.
If word did get out that patient ratios were
decent, ancillary staff was adequate and supplies
were readily available, I would consider coming
out of retirement and rejoining the workforce.
I have kept up my license for 10 years waiting
for conditions to improve so I could enjoy a
profession I love. The salary is definitely
intriguing, but the stress of not being able
to adequately care for patients is unreasonable.
MELINDA WINSHIP,
RN
San Diego, Calif.
I agree with Jeanna Bozell, RN, that leadership
training is important to the retention of nursing
staff. As we become more and more dependent
on ADNs and LVNs, who have little management
training, leadership training by facilities
becomes crucial to staff retention.
In regard to Kathy Shelton’s statement,
“Salary has improved so much over the
past few years that it’s kind of hard
to say anything about that,” I say, although
nurse salaries have improved, I believe that
if the salary was truly commensurate with the
demands of the job, there would be more men
and more people in general attracted to the
profession.
I do, however, agree with her that adequate
ancillary staff is important to a well-functioning
facility. Ancillary staff, under good leadership,
can complete a well-functioning team. Only under
good leadership can these team members feel
the rewards of the essential care they provide.
The need to retain not only competent nurses,
but ancillary staff as well reinforces the need
to incorporate leadership training into a facility’s
program.
KRIS WENDLER, RN
Chicago
As I looked at the front of NURSEWEEK, I was
intrigued by the “Can
We Fix It?” title. I quickly
turned to see what the thoughts were. I was
just as quickly disappointed as I realized,
first, there was no answer. With further thought,
I realized the issue is really a sociological
issue with far more depth than the article dared
to touch. A couple of the nurses did address
issues that have been around as long as people:
working relationships and self-image. There
is another perspective that was left untouched
and that was the changes in society.
Fifty-plus years ago, doctors were seen as
healers much like the witch doctors in primitive
times. They controlled life. The physician was
the healer. He or she knew the answers and could
perform miracles. They were often the wealthy
in the community and held with the highest esteem,
but as time has gone on, we have realized they
are only human as are all in the medical professions.
The result has been a huge amount of personal
responsibility for information, decisions and
little tolerance for error to the point that
many decisions are no longer in the hands of
those who are trained and experienced and know
their patients, but in those of clerical staff
and computers set up with arbitrary guidelines
for any given procedure to determine its need
and effectiveness under any given set of signs,
symptoms and diagnosis. In a profession where
individuality, personal drive, the unique ability
to heal and faith can change any given outcome,
how can we allow someone who has never seen
our patient determine the best course of treatment?
I am referring to insurance companies—both
those that demand high premiums to cover human
error and those that control the treatment received
by patients.
I have seen and felt the pains of the control
that insurance companies have as a health professional,
as a family member and as a consumer. The impact
of the insurance companies on provisions of
health care is so intertwined that we often
forget it is there. It does affect the nursing
profession, as well as all of the medical professions.
It affects the cost of doing business if for
no other reason than the cost of additional
staff to do all the paperwork. The issue of
cost can cloud and discourage staff, making
the most dedicated and compassionate individual
frustrated and resentful.
In 30 years, we have all seen small hospitals
disappear and large hospitals reorganize to
survive. Hospitals need to make money to survive,
also.
We have seen an increase in technology that
is fascinating and lifesaving, enabling all
to do the best job ever. We have also seen an
increase of opportunity with new technology.
But with increased opportunity there has been
a decline in available nursing staff, giving
way to some poor nursing care.
It is often said that the best of times can
be the worst of times. I think this may apply
to the health care profession in general.
DARIEL NORRIS, RN
Preston, Wash.
I am a pediatric nurse, now disabled. I thoroughly
enjoy reading NURSEWEEK, but cried when I read
about Ahmed and Mohamed (“Boy
Oh Boy!” March 15). To know
that these two babies will now live a “normal”
life is a gift from a loving God that no one
will ever take away. May God bless all who helped
in their treatment and recovery.
DEBORAH BROST, RN
Lovell, Wyo.
What a wonderful story about Ahmed and Mohamed
and our great team of nurses.
Thanks so much for [Glen Fest’s] insightful
and touching approach to this story. Those of
us who have been able to spend time with these
wonderful little boys feel blessed by the privilege.
I hope I will be able to get some copies to
share with staff that don’t have a subscription
to the magazine.
SUSAN MCBEE
Medical City Dallas Hospital
