Obamacare’s Killer Burden on Nurses

Time Magazine ^ | 5/6/14 | Amy Dertz

[SoFloFreeper]

The Affordable Care Act means more and sicker patients are entering hospitals, and less comprehensive and timely health care.

As the first enrollees in the Affordable Care Act begin seeking care at my hospital, I wonder how my practice as a Registered Nurse will change. We’re told the goal of the new law is to remodel healthcare in the United States into a system that promotes wellness and prevention, rather than just providing care to sick people. This seems like a great objective, but I worry that the switch may compromise the quality of the care our patients receive.

[SoFloFreeper]

More disaster from the clown and his party.

[ballplayer]

My question is,could care have been given to individuals like this case described without turning the entire system upside down,the billions of dollars used to destroy the current system could have been used to help people get their preventative care.
There is nothing wrong with healthcare in this country it has always been the COST,Obamacare has only made it worse in This regard as well as destroy the doctor patient relationship

[bergmeid]

We will just lower the bar in nursing schools, get more affirmative action and voila, problem solved. /s

[Chickensoup]

Already happening.

Ran into an acquaintance who was a caseworker with Somali women. She said that they are being passed through to become CNAs without successfully passing the tests. Why? The hosptials need translator and a 12 dollar an hour CNA is cheaper than a 60 an hour translator.

[Chickensoup]

Quality of care already compromised.

Last two years: I have seen or heard of at least SIX cases of undiagnosed appendicitis that led to complications.

I have heard of at least THREE cases of gall bladder issues being misdiagnosed and leading to complications, one person had a year and a half recovery time.

These are simple diagnosis that would have never been missed twenty years ago. They no longer touch or look at the patients.

We are in the middle of third world medicine, and money is not the issue. These misdiagnoses were perpetrated on people who were middle class and well insured and in their thirties and forties.

[YouGoTexasGirl]

One of the big issues with healthcare is that Americans decided to spend their funds on the latest technology that is expensive and not insure themselves and their families. Why do so when the govt. forces acute care for free. If you look at the hospitals that sprung up on the border in Texas you’d also understand massive abuse. Come have your baby, get free care and a USA citizenship.....built a real career for scumbag medical care “professionals”. Add the dentist when they get teeth.

I wish I could tell you the number of times my dad and mom told us that we could not have something due to life, health and car insurance dollars. Whatever is doled out free will be abused by those not having the common good of all. Illegals don’t give a damn as they can always go home when the money runs out.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Obamacare is going to push for sterilizations and abortions done by nurse-practitioners, PA's, midwives, veterinarians and taxidermists (only 40% joking there) as well as many other procedures being passed off to non-physicians.

As American-born, English-speaking doctors recede from the health profession, their places will be taken by foreign-born doctors and other providers. This happened big-time under Britain's NHS decades ago, and it's basically picking up speed here. I love me some Filipinos, Costa Ricans, Indians, Nigerians, etc. but this is not going to be an improvement in doctor-patient communication, nor in professional standards and quality of care.

Watch and see.

[Buckeye McFrog]

A relative of mine who is in nursing school is being frantically trained on how to give a full physical, and on many other tasks traditionally done by a doctor.

I’m just sayin’.

[ballplayer]

The cost of that insurance has been oppressive for some time,the problem again is the government regulation.
Health savings accounts were the best thing to happen to health insurance that I experienced,granted they are not for everyone,but if you are in good health you can get a policy,pay for it and sock money away for catastrophic issues and if its not needed spend the money on something else,this after years of paying thousands on a health policy and never going to a doctor for anything.
Of course Obamacare will outlaw these when all the waivers and payoffs are done after the election

[kaila]

I am not sure of the point of this article. With or without the insurance, this diabetic patient would have shown up at the hospital anyway. Her example of this patient did not make any sense.However, Obamacare is causing hospital layoffs of nurses. Patients are much sicker than before, and more obese. It is very hard to take care of obese patients with a small amount of nurses. There is more IV lines and pumps to manage nowadays.Computers have made documentation harder. Historically, hospitals have always short staffed the wards, and this has caused nurse burnout. This is nothing new.More and more nurses will gravitate to the outpatient settings. It is easier on the body and mind.