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For those baffled by hospitals laying off nurses during a pandemic: nurses are a "cost center" in hospitals. Our antiquated model means nurses don't generate revenue. From the CFO perspective, an easy way to improve the books. For everyone else, tragic long-term consequences.
Here's a great quote from one of my nurse respondents that nails the point. So grateful for this articulate response. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e31820b6efa
What's worse: hospitals caring for a lot of #COVID19 pts are likely seeing their hours of care/day go through the roof (probing, drips, sedation, precautions). So financial pressures are worse when you give more/better care.
Here's an example: find the nursing care in this bill. You can't! It's pretty much on the "room" item. Whether you're on an hourly glucose drip or recovering from a simple appendectomy, all that matters is whether your room was semi- or private. [Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/how-to-read-your-medical-bill/]
![Here's an example: find the nursing care in this bill. You can't! It's pretty much on the "room" item. Whether you're on an hourly glucose drip or recovering from a simple appendectomy, all that matters is whether your room was semi- or private. [Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/how-to-read-your-medical-bill/]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWXg4CzWoAIAnni.jpg "Here's an example: find the nursing care in this bill. You can't! It's pretty much on the \"room\" item. Whether you're on an hourly glucose drip or recovering from a simple appendectomy, all that matters is whether your room was semi- or private. [Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/how-to-read-your-medical-bill/]")
The last time US hospitals pulled a stunt like this was during the ill-fated merger craze of the late 1990s. Disastrous consequences for patients. Nurses' trust in leaders eroded. Imagine repeating that horrible mistake during a pandemic. Good paper here: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.00196
