February 23, 2005: Maryland: Nurses push lawmakers for staffing standards:"Claiming that Maryland's severe shortage of nursing professionals could be hurting patient care, nurses yesterday urged lawmakers to institute minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for hospitals. Hospital administrators, however, said the ratios would handcuff their ability to be creative and flexible in scheduling nurses. The bill would require hospitals to submit their nurse staffing plans to the state. The ratios would vary by unit. For example, one nurse would be required for each patient in the operating room, while one nurse would be needed for every six postpartum patients. If a facility doesn't comply, or its staffing levels aren't adequate, it could face fines or loss of its license." http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/02_23-15/GOV
January 27, 2004: State Report Finds IT Could Alleviate Nursing Shortage:"Hospitals should adopt technology-based approaches to solve their nursing shortages, meet the demands of nurses and improve care quality and patient safety, according to a report from the Maryland Statewide Commission on the Crisis in Nursing's Technology Workgroup. The report includes a list of overall recommendations and individual lessons from IT-based strategies in place at hospitals around the state.
To address problems associated with the nursing shortages, such as understaffed units and unfilled positions, the report recommends an online back-to-work refresher program to prepare inactive nurses to re-enter the work force. It also recommends several remote care applications: remote intensive care unit monitoring by off-site clinicians; robot technology for nursing homes and home monitoring programs designed to avoid unnecessary or avoidable hospital visits." http://ihealthbeat.org/index.cfm?Action=dspItem&itemID=100515
January 20, 2003: Maryland: AACC defends nursing program:"An internal investigation of the nursing program at Anne Arundel Community College
has found no academic inequities or inappropriate staff conduct, despite claims by some students that they had been forced out arbitrarily.
College President Martha Smith launched the informal probe last semester after several students who withdrew from the program launched a
letter-writing campaign criticizing the department's staff and grading standards.
After meeting with one of the students last fall, Ms. Smith said she wanted to be sure that decisions affecting student success in the
registered nursing program were being made fairly." http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2003/01_19-20/TOP
01/20/2003: Maryland: Nursing shortage now a crisis:"Maryland's most severe nursing shortage since the 1980s has turned into a crisis. And with constant complaints from patients about the poor quality of care they're receiving, legislators are looking to the commission they created in 2000 for answers. The Statewide Commission on the Crisis in Nursing is almost halfway through its five-year run, and its progress is receiving mixed reviews. "I'm glad the commission is so actively pursuing answers, but in the meantime, the (nursing) crisis is probably growing worse," said Sen. Paula Hollinger, D-Baltimore County. http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/live/01_20-12/TOP
June 27, 2001: Maryland State: Nursing scarcity worsens in Md. Survey identifies shortages of various hospital professionals:"Maryland's nursing shortage intensified last year, and shortages of other health care professionals became more severe, according to the results of a survey released yesterday by the Association of Maryland Hospitals and Health Systems.
Up to 3,679 health care workers, including as many as 1,680 registered nurses, are needed to fill vacant positions statewide, the survey indicated"
http://www.sunspot.net/business/bal-bz.hospitals27jun27.story?coll=bal%2Dbusiness%2Dheadlines
June 26, 2001: Maryland, Baltimore: Hospitals face work force shortage:"About 14 percent of the nursing positions and 8 percent of all clinical positions at Maryland hospitals are unfilled, according to a survey released Today by the Maryland Hospital Association.
The report said there are 3,679 positions open at the state's 50 hospitals. More than half of those openings are for registered nurses -- further highlighting the state's nursing shortage.
"The registered nurse vacancy problem occurred in the last two to three years," said Cal Pierson, president of the MHA.
The vacancies for registered nurses may take as many as 3,000 people to fill because of part-time work, according to MHA officials." http://baltimore.bcentral.com/baltimore/stories/2001/06/25/daily19.html
March 02, 2001: Maryland, Natick: Nurses: Overtime forced by hospital:"Nurses at Leonard Morse Hospital say they are forced to work overtime and have filed reports with their union, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, detailing unsafe staffing levels.
" It’s just a nightmare up there lately, " said union representative Carolyn Anderson.
The chief executive officer of MetroWest Medical Center, which Leonard Morse is part of, said under no circumstance does the hospital force people to work.
" We don’t force anybody to do anything, " CEO Mark Clement said. " It’s not about coercion or force. " http://www.townonline.com/metrowest/06581736.htm
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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