Health-Care Reform

• Nurses have always been involved with health-care reform as advocates for patients. The American Nursing Association (ANA) has been working to have the voice of nurses heard. Nurses are in support of a public plan, so Americans who are underinsured or uninsured will have access to affordable, quality health insurance. The ANA has taken the stand that health care is not a privilege but a right. It is lobbying for a reduction in cost and an end to high out-of-pocket costs for services, as well as ending discrimination pertaining to pre-existing conditions.
  
  

Nursing Shortage

• The nursing shortage is a major issue facing the biggest licensed profession in the health-care system. This shortage will affect health care more each day, as it appears not much is being done to stop it. Many emergency rooms have longer wait times due to less nursing staff, and hospital floors are feeling the effects as well. This is affecting patient care because the number of patients to one nurse is increasing, therefore decreasing the quality of care. This shortage is being felt in hospitals, nursing homes and home-health agencies. Nursing has been lobbying for patients by seeking legislation to help with the nursing shortage and with funding for nursing schools.
  
  

Instructors

• Nursing instructors make far less money than nurses in the clinical setting. They also make less than other educators in different fields. In order for nursing to succeed, there needs to be qualified candidates educated, but with these low salaries nurses are not flocking to this career path. Without these types of nurses being adequately filled then qualified candidates will not have the opportunity to be taught. These salaries need to be increased, and colleges and universities need to see the value in these instructors.
  
  

Ethics

• Nurses are held to a high standard of ethics when it comes to patients, co-workers and themselves. They provide care, promote human rights and values, and help meet the needs of the less fortunate and vulnerable. A major ethical goal is to also keep patients' information confidential, and this includes not discussing patients in public places. Another ethical issue is protecting patients from negligent co-workers who may endanger them. The individual nurse must not endanger the patient and has to be accountable to the standards of the field.
  
  

Effect

• Effects of reform, shortages, ethics and salaries are issues that keep nurses constantly thinking, growing and changing.