September 16, 2005: Wyoming: WY needs to improve working conditions to recruit nurses:"A survey of Wyoming nurses found that most think improving working conditions would do more to alleviate the current nursing shortage than recruiting would.
The survey, presented Thursday on the opening day of Wyoming's second annual Nursing Summit at the University of Wyoming, found 81 percent of nurses surveyed thought improving workplace conditions should be the top priority for addressing the nursing shortage. Recruiting new nurses was a distant third.
Wyoming is expected to have only 70 percent of the nurses it needs this year, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects that the state might have only half the nurses it needs by the year 2020." http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/09/16/build/nation/48-nurses.inc
December 27, 2004: Wyoming: State struggles to end nursing shortage:"Even though the number of people entering the field of nursing is holding steady, retirements and other departures are causing a net drop in available nurses statewide.
"I've been here 21 years, and I believe there's only been one year we couldn't say there was a shortage," said Phyllis Bell, vice president of human resources at United Medical Center-West.
A shortage of about 400,000 nurses nationwide will peak in about five years, she said. But in Wyoming, it will be especially acute.
Cheryl Koski, executive director of the State Board of Nursing, said Wyoming will have a 60 percent shortage of nurses by 2020." http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/12/27/build/wyoming/30-nursing-shortage.inc
January 28, 2003: Wyoming: Proposed nursing education funds cut:"The Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday cut more than half of the funding out of a bill that tries to solve the state's nurse shortage.
Senate File 22, which started out with just under $3.2 million in appropriations and was left with just over $1.2 million, would provide funding to the state's community colleges to increase the number of nursing faculty and provide scholarships to students and faculty.
Under the amended bill, $227,000 in what Sen. John Schiffer, R-Kaycee, called "seed money" would be allocated for scholarships for students who attend a community college or the University of Wyoming and agree to stay in Wyoming after graduation. Another $273,000 would be available for scholarships for faculty who want to improve their education and return to teach at a Wyoming facility." http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2003/01/28/build/wyoming/xgr-nursingeducation.inc
January 24th, 2003: Nursing home operators also caught in Medicaid, insurance squeeze:"There are so many imbalances in the health care system, at a time when the needs are growing greater," Burns commented. With the demand for services increasing, Burns said the amount of nurses, certified nursing aides and nursing home administrators has been declining. "In the classified ads, there is a bidding war for a small pool of people," Burns noted. "Salaries of nurses are $20 to $25 an hour. Temporary agency nurses might charge $35 to $40 an hour. Sometimes, we need agency nurses because we don't have enough staff." http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=6800078&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=455154&rfi=6
January 24th, 2003: Wyoming: Nursing bill advances:"An amended bill to address the nursing shortage was voted out of the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Wednesday, but not without a firm dissent by one member. "I support the amendment ... but I cannot support the bill," Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, said. "This is a government-created problem." Senate File 22 would appropriate upward of $4 million to provide scholarships to nursing students and develop nursing faculty at the University of Wyoming and the community colleges." http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2003/01/24/news/wyoming/c150dba97841c66fe38f111ce9b23045.txt
December 30, 2002: Wyoming: Ivinson Hospital nurses express some concerns:"All is not well at Ivinson Memorial Hospital, and 28 hospital employees are tired of keeping it a secret.
Recent rumors that hospital morale is on life support are true, they say. And the problems don’t end there.
“There is a veil of secrecy and half truths that are presented to the staff on a regular basis,” an employee said. “It’s a complete lack of communication. … This administration, which claims to care very deeply for its employees and patients could care less about its employees.”
The employees, who are primarily nurses, said the public has a right to know what is going on behind hospital doors. The group approached the Laramie Daily Boomerang with their concerns, and were granted anonymity so they would not lose their jobs, which they said would be at risk." http://www.laramieboomerang.com/more.asp?StoryID=743
November 24, 2002: Wyoming: State faces severe nursing shortage:"Wyoming is on the verge of a severe nursing shortage unless the state starts paying them better, the head of the American Nurses Association said.
"Wyoming pays nurses the lowest salary in the nation," Barbara Blakeney told attendees Friday at the Wyoming Heritage Foundation's annual public forum in Casper. "They are paid less than nurses in Puerto Rico and Guam." By 2005, Wyoming will have 1,200 fewer nurses than providers need, or a 30 percent shortage, Blakeney said. By 2010, that shortage could worsen to 45 percent and balloon to 63 percent by 2020.
Only 134 graduates took the registered nurse's licensing exam in Wyoming last year. The top reason graduates gave for leaving the state was poor pay, Blakeney said." http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2002/11/24/build/wyoming/50-nursing.inc
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
This Page is Part of The Nursefriendly National Nursing A To Z & Consumer Health Directories
We are Incorporated in The State of New Jersey, under the name:
Nursefriendly, Inc.
38 Tattersall Drive, Mantua, New Jersey (NJ) 08051
Our Phone #: 856-415-9617
Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies or mark holders, and are not owned or affiliated with Nursefriendly, Inc. or any of it's affiliated companies.