Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The ICU nurse shortage: How cost-cutting is endangering patient care

Anonymous
Conditions
February 11, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

Recently, I read an article by an ICU nurse that discussed the disturbing trend of replacing seasoned nurses with inexperienced ones in the name of cost-cutting. This issue is not limited to the ICU but is rampant in every area of nursing.

As a psychiatric nurse with 45 years of experience, 35 of which were as a board-certified psychiatric nurse, and a former mentor and preceptor, I have witnessed the impact of this trend first-hand. After a merger, our nurse manager, who had a dual master’s in nursing and administration but no experience in psychiatric nursing, replaced the previous manager. The new manager brought in nurses from other departments who were not properly trained. This led to many of our seasoned younger nurses leaving to become NPs.

I asked to be a preceptor for these new nurses, but my request was denied, and as a result, the new nurses were not properly trained. One new nurse with a military medic background and three years of nursing experience was hired as a unit supervisor. Unfortunately, due to a lack of training, he could not handle a crisis situation properly and was ultimately terminated, with the hospital even attempting to take away his license. With my support, he could keep his license, but the injustice he faced is a stark reminder of the dangerous consequences of cutting corners on nurse training.

I entered the nursing profession in the 1980s with a love and passion for it, but over the years, I have seen it become increasingly politicized and driven by money. I retired early due to unjust treatment, and I can only imagine that I was replaced by two young, inexperienced nurses who desperately needed the guidance and training of a seasoned professional.

The shortage of experienced nurses in the ICU and beyond is a dangerous trend that puts patients at risk. Our healthcare system is out of control, and we must prioritize proper training and support for our nurses instead of cutting corners in the name of cost-saving.

The author is an anonymous nurse.

Prev

Surviving and thriving: the new reality for chronically ill children

February 11, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Patients lose when states block independent doctors

February 11, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Critical Care, Nursing

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Surviving and thriving: the new reality for chronically ill children
Next Post >
Patients lose when states block independent doctors

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Anonymous

  • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

    Anonymous
  • Why young doctors in South Korea feel broken before they even begin

    Anonymous
  • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

    Anonymous

Related Posts

  • Understanding critical care in the ICU: then and now [PODCAST]

    The Podcast by KevinMD
  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • The health care system will cause its own physician shortage

    Advait Suvarnakar and Aashka Suvarnakar
  • The triad of health care: patient, nurse, physician

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • How to incentivize higher quality and lower cost in U.S. medical care

    Samuel Falkson
  • The solution to a crumbling primary care foundation is direct primary care

    Sara Pastoor, MD

More in Conditions

  • Earwax could hold secrets to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease

    Sandra Vamos, EdD and Domenic Alaimo
  • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

    Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
  • Why health care must adapt to meet the needs of older adults with disabilities

    Lynn A. Schaefer, PhD
  • 4 traits every new attending physician needs to thrive

    Sarah Epstein
  • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

    Pearl Jones, MD
  • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

    Benjamin Cohen, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How Mark Twain would dismantle today’s flawed medical AI

      Neil Baum, MD and Mark Ibsen, MD | Tech
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How Mark Twain would dismantle today’s flawed medical AI

      Neil Baum, MD and Mark Ibsen, MD | Tech
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...