Today, the scary truth is we are embarrassed and saddened with each patient horror story of abandonment or mismanaged care. Today, a rare professional nurse is found in the clinic, and the scarce RN is run ragged in hospital corridors pushing pills to too many patients. Bedside nursing is gone, and potential medical problems that were once picked up by the RN will go unnoticed by the assistant. Today, potential young nurses see the truth or hear it from disheartened veterans and don't want any part of this unvalued profession or to be part of this disaster. With the same BS and MS degree in other areas they will acquire satisfying jobs in any profession other than nursing.
Health care is in desperate times.
We care about the health care that you, our children and grandchildren receive. This is why we chose to become registered nurses and why we can no longer stay. We miss providing care to our patients and will return if quality care comes back. Rae Lewis and the 20 other registered nurses who wrote this live and work in the North Bay.