Shortage of RN

[Lithium]

I doubt it will happen but I would love for WCI to bring on a traveler RN to his podcast to shed some light on how the firms work, the lifestyle, similarities and differences to locums etc. I was telling one of the RNs here that she would probably have to send in quarterly payments for taxes and she said "I think that's more of a doctor thing." Not sure if they are just W2 or victims of ignorance From what others have told me, they are mostly using their own transportation and paying for their own housing (I received both when I did locums).

[CordMcNally]

I will say that in my experience, travelers seem to be less inclined to go the extra mile or really put a lot of effort into getting things done. There are certainly exceptions and there are staff nurses who do the same thing but being there strictly for the paycheck and knowing you'll be out of there in a few weeks doesn't seem to be a big motivator to be efficient and hard-working.

[Kamban]

Can we have medical assistants go through a crash course in 3 months and become ersatz RN ?

The crash coursing has what has led to a lot of pseudo-doctors, who are eating our lunch. The RN's who did it to the docs knew how to fortify their castle and prevent it happening to them. Smart cookies for having the cake and easing it too.

[Kamban]

There are enough RNs to fill the openings but they don't want the work. Unlike medicine, many people do the education, work in the field for a while and leave. Raising salaries and improving working conditions would help a lot.

Like everywhere else, we are desperately short of RNs. We have long tried to use people with less education and fewer skills to do things that do not require RNs. Nurse extenders are as important as physician extenders.

It is ironic that this forum, that advocates FIRE for physicians so that they can quit in the 40's and early 50's, expects the nurses and other health care workers to not do the same but work into their 60's with low pay and hard physical labor.

Do as I say, not as I do.

[Craigslist]

It is ironic that this forum that advocates FIRE for physicians so that they can quit in the 40's and early 50's but expects the nurses and other health care workers to not do the same but work into their 60's with low pay and hard physical labor.

Do as I say, not as I do.

......

[artemis]

I've never understood the travel pay discrepancy, it was already large prior to the pandemic and now its nuts, better than many docs with so much less hassle.

Yet hospitals refuse to up the pay for regular staff to 1/4 or 1/3 of travelers? Seems extremely short sighted and has to be compensated somewhere or for some reason..

Hospitals have indeed been idiotic, and are now paying the price. Floor nursing's a hard job as it is; deliberately understaffing and underpaying the people doing that work was bound to end badly sooner or later. COVID just made the timeline sooner.

[nastle]

The crash coursing has what has led to a lot of pseudo-doctors, who are eating our lunch. The RN's who did it to the docs knew how to fortify their castle and prevent it happening to them. Smart cookies for having the cake and easing it too.

Every castle can be breached with the right weapons

[AR]

Many NP programs are online and they continue working as an RN through ‘school’.

I imagine that happens, but that shouldn't be exacerbating the shortage. At least not yet.

[StateOfMyHead]

I imagine that happens, but that shouldn't be exacerbating the shortage. At least not yet.

It has been going on in large numbers for a few years now. I can only speculate there are even more RNs in As Seen On TV NP school now due to the terrible conditions in hospitals over the past two years.

[Tim]

It has been going on in large numbers for a few years now. I can only speculate there are even more RNs in As Seen On TV NP school now due to the terrible conditions in hospitals over the past two years.

Probably a contingent that is viewing the NP and pandemic as an opportunity to attempt to "finish their training" rather than going straight into the job market.
The traditional path, get the degree prior to work experience. So many indicate that the lack of residency or an experience requirement is a factor with NPs.
Why jump into the fire with Covid? Just signup for classes.

[AR]

Why jump into the fire with Covid? .

$8K/week.

[CordMcNally]

It has been going on in large numbers for a few years now. I can only speculate there are even more RNs in As Seen On TV NP school now due to the terrible conditions in hospitals over the past two years.

It would also be helpful that NP schools don’t basically admit 100% if their applicants.

I’ve also seen a handful of new NPs continue to work as an RN because they can’t find an NP job.

[AR]

I’ve also seen a handful of new NPs continue to work as an RN because they can’t find an NP job.

Even if they could find an NP job, they're not going to beat $8K/wk. They shouldn't be bothering to even look right now.

[CordMcNally]

Why jump into the fire with Covid? Just signup for classes.

COVID isn’t really the issue any more for many places. At least for my area, COVID never truly overwhelmed the hospitals. The lack of staffed beds is what overwhelmed the hospitals. It’s been a while since I’ve admitted a COVID patient. Nurses now understand how poorly they’ve been supported (along with nearly every other healthcare worker) all along. Their time is spent doing unnecessary tasks and useless charting instead of actual patient care. The same can be said for physicians.

[CordMcNally]

Even if they could find an NP job, they're not going to beat $8K/wk. They shouldn't be bothering to even look right now.

I agree but money isn’t everything for some people. It’s a great option for a young single nurse with no dependents.