Sunday, January 12, 2003: Maine: Area nursing shortage abates, Recruitment programs seem to be paying off:"While the vacancy rate for registered nurses hovers around 8.3 percent in Maine hospitals, it looks to be headed in the right direction.
And smaller, rural hospitals in central Maine — commonly thought to face the most acute shortages —are reporting the biggest gains.
But no one is relaxing completely.
"You always have to be on guard that the full crunch hasn't reached up here, and we kind of sit back and say, 'why are we doing so well?'"
said Daniel R. Marois, director of marketing at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington." http://www.centralmaine.com/news/stories/030112nursing_.shtml
November 14, 2002: Maine: Wanted: professional, qualified nurses:"When the state's nursing crisis will peak is a matter of conjecture, but there seems to be little doubt area hospitals will need to address staffing concerns before they reach crisis proportions.
Chris Owen, director human resources for Mount Desert Island Hospital and Health Centers in Bar Harbor, said he wouldn't dispute there is an increasing need for more trained nursing staff.
"There aren't enough nurses to fill the staffing needs of state hospitals now, and it will become worse in the next few years," he said." http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=6066740&BRD=1468&PAG=461&dept_id=369602&rfi=6
Wednesday, December 5, 2001: Maine, Bangor:Nursing shortage prompts summit
Work conditions seen as problem:"Maine is facing a nursing shortage crisis, but the state is not alone. The growing shortage is causing emergency rooms to back up, increasing the risk of medical errors and forcing hospitals across the country to scramble to find new nurses. The shortage led to a statewide summit Tuesday in Augusta. "Maine cannot solve the problem on its own, but it can make a start and I think a start is being made today," said keynote speaker Russell Cole, national strategy adviser for Superior Consultants, a Texas-based group. "I think all the key players are in the room and talking and that has not happened in all states." http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.html?ID=46671
Organization of Maine Nursing Executives:"OMNE is a group of nursing leaders in Maine who direct the course for professional nursing by promoting sound health care policies at the state, local and national level. Towards this mission the organization creates an environment that encourages networking, unity and synergistic creative thinking." hmckinnon@emh.org http://omne.org/
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.:"The following narratives have been written by individual state boards of nursing regarding the significant activities in their respective states related to the nursing shortage. These excerpts do not provide a comprehensive update of the nurse shortage in these states or nationwide. The information is simply intended to share information among Member Boards."
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
676 N. St. Clair Street
Suite 550
Chicago, Illinois, 60611-2921
Telephone: (312) 787-6555. info@ncsbn.org http://www.ncsbn.org/news/stateupdates_state_shortage.asp
Nursing Shortage Serious For Seniors, About.com:"As the population ages the impact of the nursing shortage will be even greater.
There is a threat to the health of every older adult in the United States and Canada looming on the horizon. It is not a virus or new type of bacteria that is causing this threat. The threat to health is a result of the increasing shortage of nurses in both countries.
Over the last couple of years there have been numerous stories in the press about the magnitude and causes of the shortage. So far solutions for this situation have been few. Additionally this nursing shortage will impact the oldest of citizens the most. Older adults use health care services at a higher rate than do younger people. Advances in medicine and improved nutrition and lifestyle have added years to the average life span. With this longer life comes higher needs for medical services, especially the services of professional nurses." http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/prevention/a/nurse_shortage.htm
The Nurse/Patient Ratio by Genevieve M. Clavreul RN, Ph.D.:"The New Year heralds many things, and this year brings legislation mandating a patient/nurse ratio in California. But after the confetti stops falling, did we get what we want? We now have a panacea for thousands of nurses in California, however, the ratio really can’t be enforced. (At the writing of this article the companion bill for enforcement is stalled in the legislature, having been defeated at least once already).
As my children are fond of saying, “why am I not surprised?” Having been a nurse for almost 30 years, most of those years spent in the NICU/PICU, I am used to working with a strict nurse/patient ratio. ICU’s and a few other areas of nursing have always been under the control of an “acuity” system. Actually, all nursing is supposed to be, but we all know this isn’t always the case. For this reason, I knew in my heart that legislating a nurse/patient ratio was probably an exercise in futility."
Working Nurse, Working World Magazine
3600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1526
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel:(213)385-4781,
Fax:(213)385-3782, WorkingNurse@WorkingWorld.com http://www.workingworld.com/magazine/viewarticle.asp?articleno=254&wn=1
Nursing: A Medical Emergency, and Opportunity, hits home by Ronald A. Reis and Karen F. Reis RN:"You’re an RN, and you’ve been at it, administering to the sick and wounded, for months, years, maybe even decades. You’ve got your hands full with 12-hour shifts, high turnover, an often less than supportive work environment, and a stressed-out health care system that is, in places, itself on life-support. What to do? How to keep going? How to make this job, career, meaningful again? How to get out of nursing what you went into it for? How to avoid adding to the national nursing shortage by short-circuiting your own involvement in a noble profession?"
Working Nurse, Working World Magazine
3600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1526
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel:(213)385-4781,
Fax:(213)385-3782, WorkingNurse@WorkingWorld.com
http://www.workingworld.com/magazine/viewarticle.asp?articleno=253&w
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