California: State faces nursing shortage dilemma

[nursinghumor]

Tuesday, November 16, 2004: California: State faces nursing shortage dilemma:"Most everyone agrees that California is facing a major nursing shortage as many retire and schools struggle to keep up -- a shortage that places the state near the bottom nationwide for nurse-to-patient ratios and is predicted to get much worse by 2020. But while hospital administrators are calling for more nurses to be trained, the California Nurses Association, or CNA, has emphasized improving work conditions as the best way to attract more nurses."
http://www.sfexaminer.com/article/in...1604n_nursing2

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursefriendly.com

[Dixiecup]

I have to agree with the CNA. The way nurses are treated, and the working conditions are hellish out here in California.

[staffnursepenny]

Iam a newely qualified nurse from the UK. Can anyone give me some advice on how to work in California.

[kbgb]

I notice that this particular thread is old. Am wondering if California still has a nursing shortage? I'm about to begin my first California job (brand new license) in Sonora at Sonora Regional. Any advice about this hospital?

[gracie1]

I have to agree with the CNA. The way nurses are treated, and the working conditions are hellish out here in California.

I have to agree the conditions are tough. Part of this is the social/political problems that amplify every other problem in the state. The nursing situation is no different. We are obligated to treat every one who comes into the ER. But many have no reinbursment source. Gang violence has made me very adept at caring for gunshot wounds. Being bilingual is no longer enough. We more languages we have to accomodate than ever before. I could go on and on.

[SyckRN]

Ohhh, if only this was still true since the last post. Now hospitals are using fewer and fewer RNs and making do with ancillary personnel..ie, lower wages.

I know so many new grads who are still looking 6 months after graduation, and hospitals here ARE hiring new grads...ie, lower wages again.

[hppygr8ful]

I think it's only fair that new grads get a lower wage than seasoned nurses. It's like with any other profession. A young Attorney only gets about half the salary of an experienced one. And med school grads practically work for minimum wage when you figure in the hours they work. What's wrong with earning your dues. You always start out at a lower rate of pay and as you become more experienced you get more pay. Union's are part of the problem because there is too much emphasis on senority. Plus it's almost impossible to discipline or fire poor or incompetant nurses. The good one's get discouraged and quit. When your protected in this way there's no reason to excel since your wages are already guaranteed by the union contact.

Almost all my jobs in nursing have been non-union and smaller facilities. I have always been treated fairly and paid a respectable wage. I had one union job where the rift between management and staff was so bad I was miserable. The increase in pay I got was eaten up by Union dues and You could never go to a supervisor because you had to go through the union rep and then it took forever to get anything done.

In my humble opinion labor unions these days actually do little to protect valuable employees and give poor ones an excuse to settle into mediocrity (SP).

As for the shortage of trained nurses in California I don't know how bad it really is in 2010. With the economy so bad many retired nurses have returned to the field and many older nurses are delaying retirement until the economy improves. That's what makes it so hard for new grads. Many of the hospital's that once had outstanding new grad programs have discontinued them as they are not desperate for new nurses.

This post is probably going to start a S&^T - storm of comment from Union devotees but that's ok - I love a good debate - let's just keep it clean and no personal attacks please.

Peace and Namaste

Hppy

[SyckRN]

I'm with you sista...in my small facility (no union) what I mean is...they are letting seasoned nurses go so that they can hire cheaper new grads...that's what I meant...not that they SHOULDN'T get lower wages...they just get used for that reason.

As for unions, the only one that I have ever been in, they came in while I was at the facility already...promised a big raise...and all they did was get us a raise almost large enough to cover the Union dues. I didn't want them in the first place. I was "cleaning house" making big wages as per diem...and they lowered the per diem wage!