How to make the nursing shortage worse
A private consultant commissioned by the Government of Alberta to suggest policies aimed at alleviating the shortage of nurses has offered a novel “solution”—pressure nurses already working to put in more hours. Right! That will absolutely make nursing a more attractive profession.
For some strange reason, however, Alberta nurses don’t see it that way.
Alberta nurses say a long-awaited report on reforming the health-care system appears to suggest the provincial government should beat up on them.
The provincial service optimization review final draft suggests that one way to address a predicted shortfall of 6,000 nurses by 2020 would be to change their contracts so they have to work more hours to get benefits.
The consultant’s report seems a tad schizophrenic.
The report also suggests that improving the work environment and expanding training programs would help overcome the 1,500-nurse shortfall and avoid falling further behind.
How exactly does leaning on nurses to work more hours improve the work environment?
Kenneth Hynek has posted some thoughts on the root cause of the nursing shortage.
Our society is progressively becoming more selfish and inwardly-focused, so it’s only natural that careers which demand a degree of self-giving/self-sacrifice/compassionate care for others are struggling to endure. People are simply becoming to “me”-centric to be bothered working in a field that requires you to care for the sick, the homeless, and the dying.
That’s rather similar to something I blogged a while ago.
h/t: e-mail from the flu-prone Binkster.
And the additional hours required will make nursing an even more attractive career. That will really help with the old recruiting. If they push this through, I predict recruiters will be coming to Alberta looking for nurses who are fed up and wish to move to a less demanding work place.
Yes, a bit bizzarre!!
[...] CANUCKI HELF KARE: I call this “solving the wrong problem”; and saith Scott Geezer Gilbreath, “How exactly does leaning on nurses to work more hours improve the work environment?” [...]
[...] CANUCKI HELF KARE: I call this “solving the wrong problem”; and saith Scott Geezer Gilbreath, “How exactly does leaning on nurses to work more hours improve the work environment?” [...]