- Contact the Committee

GOOD MORNING. TODAY’S HEARING IS ENTITLED: “PRESCRIPTION FOR VA’S NURSING SHORTAGE: IS THERE MORE THAN ONE ANTIDOTE?” I DON’T THINK ANY OF THE WITNESSES THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM TODAY WILL DISPUTE THE FACT THAT THERE IS A CRITICAL NATIONWIDE NURSING SHORTATGE.

DURING TODAY’S HEARING WE HOPE TO LEARN
THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE VA AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT PROPOSING TO REMEDY THE MASS EXODUS THAT IS LIKELY TO OCCUR OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THIS LOOMING HEALTH CARE CRISIS CERTAINLY DEMANDS THAT THE VA TACKLE THE PROBLEM AGGRESSIVELY -- SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

ACCORDING TO THE VA, THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ITS REGISTERED NURSES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT BY THE YEAR 2005. IF THE VA LOSES ONE-THIRD OF ITS THIRTY-SIX THOUSAND RN’S, WHO WILL TEND TO THE VETERANS NEEDING CARE IN THE NEXT FEW DECADES. BECAUSE THE VA HAS AN AGING POPULATION, WHICH WILL REQUIRE MORE COMPLEX CARE FROM HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONAL NURSES, WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS PROBLEM.

ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2003, AMERICAN HEALTH LINE REPORTED THAT:
“HISTORICALLY HIGH NURSING SHORTAGES HAVE CREATED A ‘GAME SHOW-LIKE FRENZY AMONG HOSPITALS,’ WHICH ARE OFFERING SIGN-ON INCENTIVES SUCH AS VACATIONS, VEHICLES, MASSAGES, CONCIERCE SERVICES, FREE TUITION FOR NURSES AND THEIR CHILDREN AND BONUSES OF UP TO $10,000.”

ONE COULD SURMISE FROM THIS THAT THERE ARE INDEED TOO FEW NURSES AVAILABLE TO FILL HOSPITAL VACANCIES, INCLUDING THOSE AT THE VA. STATISTICS CERTAINLY TELL US THIS IS THE CASE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES’ HEALTH POLICY TRACKING SERVICE, WHICH WAS LAST UPDATED ON APRIL 1, 2003, FOUND THAT THE NUBMER OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT NURSES WAS 1.89 MILLION IN 2000. THIS REPRESENTS A NURSING SHORTAGE OF 110,000 OR SIX PERCENT. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY THE YEAR 2015 THE DEMAND WILL INCREASE AND THE SHORTAGE WILL ALMOST QUADRUPLE TO TWENTY PERCENT.

WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR WITNESSES TODAY ARE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS FACING OUR HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS IF THEY CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING AND RETAINING NURSING PERSONNEL.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, I VISITED THE JAMES A. HALEY VETERAN’S HOSPITAL IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. WHILE AT THAT FACILITY, I LEARNED THAT IT HAD ACHIEVED “MAGNET STATUS.” WHEN I ASKED, “ WHAT DOES THAT MEAN”? I WAS TOLD THAT RECEIVING SUCH A DESIGNATION REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RECOGNITION THAT THE AMERICAN NURSES CREDENTIALING CENTER CAN GRANT TO HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS. HARVEY HOLZBERG, PRESIDENT’S STAFF, ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SAID:

“WE BELIEVE THE QUALITY OF NURSING
IS THE KEY TO OUR HOSPITAL’S SUCCESS.
RECEIVING THE ANCC MAGNET AWARD
IS THE HIGHEST FORMAL RECOGNITION
TESTIMONIAL TO THAT QUALITY…
THE AWARD WAS RECOGNIZED BY
THE ENTIRE HOSPITAL FAMILY AS A
FORMIDABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT ON
THE PART OF OUR NURSES.”

WE KNOW THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, RNs ARE LEAVING THE PROFESSION IN SEARCH OF MORE LUCRATIVE AND LESS DEMANDING WORK. MAJOR REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN CITED INCLUDE BURNOUT, WORK CLIMATE, WORK SATISFACTION, PATIENT QUALITY OF CARE AND MANAGERIAL SUPPORT.

THE MAGNET PROGRAM ADDRESSES MANY OF
THESE CONCERNS. WE WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM TODAY. WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THE VA WITH ITS NURSING RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.

IN AN EFFORT TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE, WE CONTACTED FOURTEEN NATIONAL NURSING ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS ANA ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATES TO RECEIVE THEIR INPUT ON HOW THE NURSING SHORTAGES HAVE AFFECTED CARE IN THEIR SPECIALITY FIELDS. THESE STATEMENTS WILL BEINCLUDED IN THE OFFICIAL HEARING RECORD.

I WANT TO THANK THE AMERICAN ASSOCATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS (AANA) AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS FOR SUBMITTING THEIR STATEMENTS TODAY.