Letter: Improve wages to attract nurses

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000 | 9:02 a.m.

The hospital association's answer to these concerns is that there is a nursing shortage, which is becoming a fact, and that they can't do anything about it.

This reply shows an abject and probably deliberate ignorance of American capitalistic principles. Their implication that if they advertise for vacant positions they have fulfilled their responsibility is simplistic and shortsighted. The basic economic principle of supply and demand is being totally ignored.

If there is difficulty in attracting necessary workers in any field the answer is to improve wages, benefit packages and working conditions. Not only has the hospital association not addressed any of those, but from my seven years of experience working in Nevada hospitals, I have seen benefit packages steadily eroded, and wages rising at a rate slower than the rise in the cost of living.

In fact, a great many nurses like myself, who have been in a position for a few years, are "topped out" and no longer eligible for pay raises.

If the hospital association really wants to attract more nurses, the only sure way to promote better patient care is to consider these alternatives or, at very least, address the continual elimination of nursing positions and reductions in employee benefits.

WALLACE J. HENKELMAN

Registered nurse