It is undeniable that Americans need more primary care providers. Primary care providers, those who we used to call our “general practitioners” or “GPs,” work to keep us healthy, performing physical exams, ordering and interpreting screening tests, managing acute and chronic illnesses, from strep throat to hypertension.
Abandoning patients, working while impaired and showing up to work reeking of alcohol, these are just some of the reasons why dozens of nurses in western Massachusetts have their licenses suspended, revoked or voluntarily surrendered over the past year.
Twenty-two states, Washington D.C. and two U.S. territories allow advanced registered nurse practitioners to work independently of physicians. And after years of debate, lawmakers this spring will again grapple with whether to take the leap and give the additional authority in Florida.
Research has shown that registered nurses suffer from depression at nearly twice the rate of folks in other professions. And last year, a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found nurses with worse physical and mental health are also more likely to make medical errors in the workplace.
Nurses from across New York City are joining together to call for a new state law mandating minimum staffing levels at hospitals. Some 15,000 nurses from 13 health care facilities in the city plan to participate in what the New York State Nurses Association is calling a day of protest Wednesday to support legislation that would require hospitals to meet nurse-to-patient ratios.
Most nurses love their profession, but it has its share of challenges and issues that can lead to a decline in job satisfaction and even cause some to seek new careers. The following are five of the biggest issues that nurses face today: