NurseZone Newsletter | 2-13-2009

With consumers struggling to pay medical expenses, an increase in the number of uninsured patients and hospitals losing their return on investments, many health care facilities are feeling the pinch. While the short term outlook for health care remains uncertain, one thing is without doubt--nursing is still one of the healthiest career options, even during tough times.

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Nurses from the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee traveled to Washington recently to meet with 50 key Congressional staff members to show their support for legislation to expand Medicare and to present the findings of a new study that indicates extending Medicare coverage to all Americans would create 2.6 million new jobs, paying $100 billion in wages. 

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Growth in ambulatory surgery has fueled a demand for registered nurses to provide cost-effective care that enables patients to return home sooner. Plus, with its predictable hours and no call, the ambulatory surgery setting is meeting the needs of nurses who are tired of long hours and weekend shifts.

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In hospitals alone, health-care associated infections account for an estimated 2 million infections, 90,000 deaths and $4.5 billion in excess health care costs annually. In an effort to lower these statistics, SafetySurveillor™, a new Web-based tool, provides electronic surveillance to infection control professionals and clinical pharmacists.

The MSN degree delivers more than just another diploma. It brings personal satisfaction, professional advancement, increased flexibility and independence. And, according to authorities in the education arena, more nurses are now completing their master's of science in nursing earlier in their careers.