Between 23 and 29 percent reported problems with continuity of care or lack of coordination between various providers. One quarter wanted more emotional support. Twenty-three percent cited insufficient information and education about their condition. From the point of view of nursing, however, the findings released in a report privately circulated by the American Hospital Association are more interesting. They hold a strong belief that skilled nurses are being systematically replaced by poorly trained and poorly paid aides.
People believe that the profit motive is behind the reduction in nursing care.
They are angry at the reversal in health care priorities that they believe this represents. The backlash against mismanaged care is strong indeed. Our ability to construct a viable, rational health care system that spent money on patients not profits would be enhanced if more patients and families, health policy experts, and political representations truly understood the contributions nurses make in our health care system. Managing care is a worthy goal. But mismanaged care is not only affecting patients ability to get high quality medical care, it is making it very difficult for them to get the kind of high quality nursing care which makes high quality medical care possible.