In our continuing Ripped from the Headlines series of nursing industry news, we take a look at:
- Why there’s a shortage of good nurses and how reports of staff shortages don’t reflect the bigger picture (The Nation);
- How much the US healthcare sector has donated to 202 presidential candidates (Business Insider);
- And, the amazing story of 36 nurses from one hospital who are or have been pregnant this year! (USA Today).
So, grab yourself a coffee and catch up on the latest nursing and healthcare headlines delivered by your Conexus team.
There Is No ‘Nursing Shortage’, There’s Just a Good Nursing Job Shortage
This headline splashed across The Nation in August stated that reports of nursing shortages are only half of the real story. It claims that healthcare needs to rethink its approach when it comes to maintaining a high standard of candidates entering the profession.
It states: “The American Nurses Association estimates that, from 2018 through 2022, registered nursing will have more job openings nationwide than any other profession. But there is a steady influx of nurses entering the field. When there are staffing problems, advocates say the real problem is that employers just aren’t willing to fund a fully staffed workforce.”
The article also discusses changes that should be made across state healthcare policies, such as implementing the “staff-patient ratios” that were pioneered in the state of California in 2004.
Donald Trump Gets $1.4Million From Healthcare Donations For His Re-Election Campaign
This month, Business Insider revealed how healthcare has become a prominent part of the 2020 presidential campaign. Its data shows that the sector has donated $5million to prospective presidential candidates in the lead up to the 2020 election.
From Big Pharma to smaller contributors, the campaign race is a multimillion-dollar effort with current Republican President Donald Trump topping the list of donations from healthcare with $1.4million.
What does this mean to you? The article also details the claims each candidate has made on healthcare reform, and what it could mean for the future of healthcare in the US. Definitely worth a read.
Baby Boom For Nurses At One Missouri Neonatal Department!
And finally...36 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses from one hospital have been or are pregnant in 2019 alone! The news has gone viral and has been widely reported in a range of outlets including USA Today.
All of the nurses work on the NICU at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri. Staff have claimed it’s brought the nurses closer together and allowed them to empathise more personally with pregnant patients.
One of the nurses, Allison Ronco, 32, said: “Patients joke not to drink the water in this place unless you want to get pregnant. We definitely truly are all really good friends. We are all raising these babies together.”
The heartwarming news goes to show how nurses play such an impactful role in people’s lives during key milestones.
Like reading Ripped from the Headlines? Stay tuned to our blog for more or re-visit the archive today.