Support

All the news media talks about the nursing shortage and how much worse the shortage will be in a decade. The truth is there is a shortage of nurses who are willing to work in the political, unsupportive conditions present in 99% of the hospitals in this country. There is only so much abuse a person can take while trying to do their job before it is decided that no job is worth the harassment. Everyone has a different breaking point but the main trend is the longer you have been in nursing the quicker you are to leave it all behind. Talk to any seasoned nurse and they will tell you about all the other jobs they have applied for or the other careers they are considering; they may even be in school as you speak for a new direction in their life.

So how can the shortage be fixed? Not a simple 1-2-3 answer unfortunately. I can only answer what is important to me although I think many nurses would agree. Support is the most important thing to me. Support from the physicians whose patients I am caring for; support from the management and support from my peers. I need to know that if someone tries to throw me under the bridge my manager or peer is going to be grabbing me before I hit the water. Heaven forbid management actually stand up for the nursing staff and defend us...I know that is a lot to ask so never mind.

Health care is a mess and I know that. The doctors are feeling the pinch from decreasing insurance payouts and higher malpractice insurance. They carry their bad mood onto the management and nursing staff who have no outlet but each other unless you have the balls to actually yell back at a physician (it really does work). So what is the solution? I don't think there is one so in the meantime patients can look forward to burnout nurses trying their best to work in a less than desirable situation. It's not like we make life or death decisions, right?