There was this article about a report on deficiencies at Maricopa County Hospital. I know the knee jerk reaction of many will be that government cannot do anything right (you know you are thinking it my right-wing friends). Here is the reality of the situation: Maricopa is wildly underfunded. I have written previously about how the state takes the federal funding intended to reimburse the hospital for indigent care.
Here is what happens in hospitals when they are underfunded: Basically, nurses (RNs, LPN, etc) deliver the majority of care in our health system. First, there is a shortage of nurses in the country and state. Nurses don't have to suffer low pay and bad working conditions because they are almost guaranteed a job somewhere else. Part of the reason for the shortage is that job is very hard. Nurses generally work 12-hour shifts and are responsible for many patients. Over the past twenty years (or more) nurses have taken over many of the duties that were once reserved for doctors.
At an underfunded hospital, they pay nurses less and therefore have fewer of them (and higher turnover). This leads to a couple of bad things, either the hospital cannot pay and retain enough nurses to cover the work load or hospital management tries to increase the ratio of nurses to patients to save money (at Maricopa it is probably both).
The results of this are obvious. The nursing staff has a choice, they do not have enough time to give quality care and chart the care given sufficiently. Given the previous choice most nurses will choose to give care to their patients and cut corners on the paperwork. It is Faustian bargain that should not be forced on our dedicated healthcare providers.
Here is what happens in hospitals when they are underfunded: Basically, nurses (RNs, LPN, etc) deliver the majority of care in our health system. First, there is a shortage of nurses in the country and state. Nurses don't have to suffer low pay and bad working conditions because they are almost guaranteed a job somewhere else. Part of the reason for the shortage is that job is very hard. Nurses generally work 12-hour shifts and are responsible for many patients. Over the past twenty years (or more) nurses have taken over many of the duties that were once reserved for doctors.
At an underfunded hospital, they pay nurses less and therefore have fewer of them (and higher turnover). This leads to a couple of bad things, either the hospital cannot pay and retain enough nurses to cover the work load or hospital management tries to increase the ratio of nurses to patients to save money (at Maricopa it is probably both).
The results of this are obvious. The nursing staff has a choice, they do not have enough time to give quality care and chart the care given sufficiently. Given the previous choice most nurses will choose to give care to their patients and cut corners on the paperwork. It is Faustian bargain that should not be forced on our dedicated healthcare providers.
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