Hostile takeover of the healthcare industry

As a healthcare professional, I have strong feelings about the lack of healthcare today. Patients are sicker and require more care when admitted to the hospital. Matter of fact. Add to that the fact that there are fewer healthcare professionals to care for the patients. There is the usual cry of "shortage" but we must look farther into the issue. There was a shortage of nurses when I was in nursing school in 1969-1973 and the solution at that time was to hire foreign nurses. The scary part, was that some of them had fewer skills than we (junior year of college) nursing students had. The hospital where I worked in Ft. Worth at that time, was run (on the evening and night shifts) by nursing students and foreign nurses. Much of what I learned was by experience. Nursing supervisors were invaluable when we were stuck and had no clue what to do. Now, RN's take care of up to 8-35 patients, depending upon the facility. Does that make you feel safe? It shouldn't. Never go to a hospital without a significant other who will remain with you 24-7. A co-worker's care was so bad it took nurses and doctors to get things changed and to get adequate care from physicians. Be scared, be very scared. Then work for national healthcare. If you have not experienced national healthcare in a foreign country, you would be surprised. They do a great job, and the myth of rationed healthcare is just that, a myth. HMO's and insurance companies want your money and don't give a damn about your health. Your Momma gets better care through Medicare.
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