Nursing Shortage in Florida

Nurses essential to quality care but we face huge shortage
By JUDITH HUSSEY
COMMUNITY VOICES

Nurses are a wonderful resource and a valuable commodity that is shrinking. We need to promote a positive image and appreciation for the things that they so quietly do. The silent assessments and communication of observations that nurses routinely do, are often overlooked by patients, visitors and even other staff members.

Nurses spend more time with patients than any other health care professional. Nurses are with the patient through diagnosis, treatment and end of life care. Nurses perform as caretakers, advocates, supporters and friends. Let's take a look at a few of the concerns from the nurses themselves:

· IMAGE: What do you picture when you visualize a nurse? Is it someone standing at the bedside taking vital signs? Holding a patient's hand? Emptying a bedpan? What you may not realize is that the nurse is assessing the patient's orientation, level of consciousness, breathing pattern, skin turgor, mobility, level of comfort and coping skills while performing any of these tasks. The nurse's assessments are vital to the care of the patient.

· STAFF/PATIENT RATIO: Many studies have demonstrated problems with patient outcomes directly proportional to the number of patients for which each nurse is responsible. Some states are adopting limitations on the number of patients (usually 5 maximum) that a nurse should routinely care for each shift. The trend that seems more acceptable is that the charge nurse should assess the acuity of the floor and assign the ratio accordingly. This can be a difficult task to justify to administration that looks at numbers and doesn't understand the process. Many acuity tools have been tried in the past and failed as too difficult or time consuming.

· EDUCATION COSTS: Many nurses are still paying student loans; but the salaries or tuition reimbursements are pale in comparison to the education costs. Some hospitals have led an initiative by offering an educational program for nurses in exchange for a work commitment. The state of Florida is attempting to implement a loan forgiveness program for nurses, but it needs more money budgeted and less red tape. President Bush has proposed millions to develop programs including the Nurse Reinvestment Act. This includes $32 million for student loan repayments and scholarships, $21 million for nursing diversity programs and $8 million for geriatric nurse education and nurse faculty loan repayment programs. These measures have been fueled by the knowledge that the number of new nurses will not keep up with the demand as the baby boomers reach retirement.

Health and Human Services has stated that up to 2,000 volunteer nurses would need to be mobilized in the event of a mass smallpox vaccination or other widespread health event such as a bioterrorist attack. What are we waiting for? We need new strategies to enhance the image and awareness of what a professional nurse does for the community, for all of us, 24/7, nights, weekends and holidays. An investment in nurse education and retention programs now will produce significant results in the years ahead.

Hussey, R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N., lives in Port Orange.

Boomer Shortfall

· There are 2.7 million active licensed nurses in the United States today.

· The average age of a nurse today is about 50.

· More than 2.9 million R.N.s will be employed by 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

· Despite that increase, the Department of Health and Human Services reports that a nursing shortage already exists and predicts it will grow as baby boomers age to 12 percent in 2010; 20 percent by 2015; and 29 percent by 2020.

For Affordable Benefits for Agency Nurses go to:
Medical and Dental Benefits