Thursday, October 24, 2002|
Remember how, a few short weeks ago, it was imperative that the U.S. move quickly and unilaterally to overthrow Saddam. Apparently it's not so imperative any more. In a Washington Post story, Pentagon officials are said to be looking for ways to slow the deployment of U.S. troops and push back the date of a possible war. Does this sudden application of the geo-political brakes, have anything to do with a massive lack of world-wide support? Or is it the realization the military move could spur similar actions by other countries who feel similarly threatened, including Isreal and its nuke stockpile?
Or did someone remember that we're already supposed to be fighting a war? Does the name Osama ring a bell? |
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When nurses hurt, everybody hurts. According to an Associated Press report, a study printed in the new Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), says that the workload on individual nurses may affect your personal survival. The report, as quoted in an AP news story, says that "patients had a greater chance of dying after surgery where hospital nurses had to take care of more patients. . . A heavy workload also meant that nurses were more likely to be burned out and unhappy." That's not news to me. Last year, I had occasion to step out of my usual role and work some shifts on a regular, non-intensive care floor. After the first shift was over my back hurt and my brain felt like jelly. Going back the next night felt like going to take a beating. It was a great reminder of why I spent twenty years in the Emergency Department. Fates willing, I will never work another shift out of the ED. What constitutes a heavy workload? According to the study, the difference between four and six nurses translated to a 14 percent increase in mortality within 30 days of admission. The difference between four and eight patients increased the likelihood of dying by 31%(!). This data was obtained from interviews with 10,184 nurses and the records of 232,342 patients. Now, consider that around here, the average age of nurses is 47. Consider that locally and nationally the number of graduate nurses has been in steady decline for a long time. Consider, finally, that the huge demographic move of Boomers (my group - sorry) into old age means lots more sick people, lots more surgeries, lots more nursing home beds, and lots fewer nurses to take care of them (me). Those coming after the Boomers, Gen X,Y and beyond, may not see this as particularly tragic, seeing as they are getting stuck with the bill.
Other than voluntary euthanasia (which I don't see as the fad of the future), I'm not sure what can be done about this. In many ways, however, the country will probably be a better place after a few million of us are gone. Certainly there will be a lot more available hospital beds for the rest of you. And rest assured, you're going to need them. |
Last update: 7/12/04; 13:15:12 .
