Nurse advocates argue that staffing has a direct impact on the chances of surviving a hospital admission. To support their argument, they point to numerous incidences where patients have died because of a lack of staffing. For example, a Boston College survey of about 900 nurses in Massachusetts unearthed 15 cases of patient deaths due to inadequate nurse staffing. No such cases were reported when the same survey was done in 1989. Health care expenses also rise when mergers and acquisitions in the industry reduce competition and drive up costs.
Employers also play a significant role in the health care crisis.
Our economy has shifted from a manufacturing base to the service sector, where smaller companies are less likely to offer health insurance to their employees. Many firms also are turning to outside contractors, who frequently do not provide health coverage for workers. The answer to the health care crisis lies in comprehensive reform instead of piecemeal approaches that tinker with the problems. History has proven a national health care plan to be the solution. Most importantly, Canadians are satisfied with it.