Only in a vaccuum. It pays far worse than other jobs at the same rate given the effort and stress the job entails.
> don't they get more leverage on what QOL and wages they can demand ?
Sure, but it needs to get far worse. The hospitals are only going to budge once walkouts are organized. But that can't happen without strong unions, most nurses just need to pay the bills which is why they continue to put up with it.
I'm not sure you understand who has the leverage. The hospitals can let healthcare deteriorate far beyond current expectations. They still get paid in the end. The environment for patients and nurses will only get worse.
> don't they get more leverage on what QOL and wages they can demand ?
Following up on this apart from my reply above, my observation is instead of raising pay they simply let roles languish. It's bizarre.
But then again it feels like that's what happens when nursing/AP care is treated as a cost center. It seems like they aren't concerned with addressing a market as much as keeping cost/income the same as it has always been.
What I read here instead is that the American people is fine with deteriorating healthcare, and will not regulate the industry, nor burst into a walkout of their own.
I find it cheaper to fly back to Europe and pay out of pocket (uninsured) for anything non-trivial along with my flight ticket than pay for California services. Only two things I miss: a) nicely decorated clinics and nurses taking my vitals and information instead of the doctor b) heart attack or stroke chance while reading the bill.
(Of course, I have the advantage of having people to stay with. Perhaps, Airbnb will start offering health services that way soon.)
/s
Seriously, we need to start looking as health care for its value as health care and not a money grab; we pay enough taxes to have a hospital running without the fear of profitability I believe -- in California at least.
Honestly, unless they're not in the midst of fighting a serious illness, most Americans just want to be sure that they have access to better healthcare than the people below them in the socioeconomic ladder. They're fine with healthcare deteriorating, as long as it deteriorates at least as much for the guy below them.
Now, if a serious illness comes along, some people do wake up and realize it's not a f*cking game. But certainly not all.
People here just have inherently less trust in the government providing good services. It has nothing to do with people below them on the socioeconomic ladder. People prefer the devil they know. That’s it.
Well you got my opinion right at least. Distrust in the government is exactly why I have always opposed government administrated Universal Health Care. Deregulation and elimination of most health insurance still looks like the best path, but things are getting bad and at this point I would support anyone willing to try a radical change.
Of course, Medicare already exists. It just only covers the retired and disabled. And while it has its flaws, it at least covers all Americans over age 65. And it's amazing the ferocity with which conservative retirees will defend their government-administered health insurance.
> It pays far worse than other jobs at the same rate given the effort and stress the job entails.
Depends on location. Most professions I know with that much effort and stress get paid a lot less than $100K, which is the median nurse pay in my area. Amazon pays a lot less.
My point is that you can get a BA and go sit at a decently cushy desk job for 60k-80k/year in many parts of the US. Nursing might pay a bit more but at much greater cost to one's health.
> Amazon pays a lot less.
Yes, I wasn't comparing nursing to jobs with much lower wages.
Only in a vaccuum. It pays far worse than other jobs at the same rate given the effort and stress the job entails.
> don't they get more leverage on what QOL and wages they can demand ?
Sure, but it needs to get far worse. The hospitals are only going to budge once walkouts are organized. But that can't happen without strong unions, most nurses just need to pay the bills which is why they continue to put up with it.
I'm not sure you understand who has the leverage. The hospitals can let healthcare deteriorate far beyond current expectations. They still get paid in the end. The environment for patients and nurses will only get worse.
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