The Cut

[Jolly]

https://www.realclearhealth.com/articles/2020/10/27/public_option_would_be_a_pay_cut_for_americas_frontline_health_care_workers_111126.html

[Doctor Phibes]

"...our responsibility to ensure these heroes have what they need to succeed and thrive in their demanding profession. We must prioritize their needs as we consider any major reforms to America’s health care system"

Not to dispute the obvious importance of healthcare workers, but shouldn't we prioritise the needs of patients rather than healthcare professionals when looking at any changes to the healthcare system?

Suddenly we're worried about nurses salaries - when did this happen?

[Jolly]

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Cut:

"...our responsibility to ensure these heroes have what they need to succeed and thrive in their demanding profession. We must prioritize their needs as we consider any major reforms to America’s health care system"

Not to dispute the obvious importance of healthcare workers, but shouldn't we prioritise the needs of patients rather than healthcare professionals when looking at any changes to the healthcare system?

Suddenly we're worried about nurses salaries - when did this happen?

I'm going to say something very nasty and if George shows it to his wife, I'll have a contract put out on me...

Nurses are over-educated and over-paid. Or, at least many of them are.

1. I think a two-year A.D. is sufficient for most med-surg nursing tasks. I think the NCLEX should reflect this.
2. I think LPN's are under-utilized in the hospital setting. I think they can function quite well in many tasks with RN supervision. They could stand a raise.
3. I do think supervisory RN positions should be BS degreed.
4. I think we have way too many NP's and not near enough FP docs.
5. I think there are way too many Joint Commission rules, which require way too many administrative positions, in nursing and other hospital occupations.
6. I think that the Total Nursing concept is bunk and a place exists for CNA's.

[Doctor Phibes]

I thought the article was a very sentimentalised appeal. When they start by going on about the heroic endevours of the healthcare profession, and plead that the system needs to prioritise their needs by inference above those of the patient, then I think they're being disingenuous in pushing an agenda.

Obviously, there need to be adequate systems in place in any hazardous job to ensure that people can work as safely as possible, and that the people are suitably compensated, but the system should be built to take care of patients.

The sentimentalized approach seems to have worked for other professions. When a firefighter is killed, flags throughout the State fly at half mast. No such respect is given to a farmer or construction worker who is killed at work, and a lot more farmers die than firefighters.

[Copper]

Try trimming trees for a living

[Doctor Phibes]

I once attended a firefighters committee meeting. They had a minute's silence at the beginning to commemorate their fallen comrades. I bet that logging committees don't do that.

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Cut:

I bet that logging committees don't do that.

Probably not. Still the most dangerous job in the US, however.

[Jolly]

After Katrina, a lot of timber was wasted in Mississippi. Since it was blown down, you couldn't use the big machines to cut the logs, you had to wade in there and cut them with a chainsaw.

The Workman's Comp was $100/day for each sawhand. Nobody could afford that.

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in The Cut:

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Cut:

I bet that logging committees don't do that.

Probably not. Still the most dangerous job in the US, however.

That was my point. The firefighters have managed to persuade us that they're pretty much like soldiers.

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Cut:

The firefighters have managed to persuade us

In fact, if you look at that list, it's the firefighter SUPERVISORS that are in more danger.