Shortage of Nurses

Re “Lifeline of Nurses Thinning,” Aug. 4.

Your article on the nursing shortage was accurate about the shortage but missing a few vital pieces.

While managed care has certainly forced hospitals to evaluate how patient care is delivered, it is not to blame for all of nursing’s current issues.

In fact, the profession of nursing itself is responsible on several fronts.

Nurses have never been willing to bite the bullet on education. While there are shortages in some nursing specialties, there are even greater shortages of nurses with skills taught at a baccalaureate level. Nurses have been unwilling to mandate a bachelor’s degree as a minimum entry into the profession.

Nursing unions are now creating divisiveness between nurses over hospital restructuring and other issues. But nurses have never been willing to unite in one organization.

California Nurses Assn. represents only 10% of the nurses in this state. It is not a voice for the changing role of nurses! It is a militant special-interest group hoping to boost membership on the back of hospitals unable to create effective changes.

Nurses certainly have been affected by the changing health care delivery system. Both patients and nurses would be better served to find ways to enhance our key role in health care instead of whining about how it is changing.

SUSAN ODEGAARD TURNER

Thousand Oaks