KJreader of Augusta, ME This shortage of nurses and doctors is not just a huge problem in the Augusta area but in Maine in general. One response to Cromedome: Doctors do not want to come to this area because of the two MGMC Aug/Wat facilities. Until we have a consolidation of these in one building, specialty, family practice physicians and hospitalists will not come here and STAY here. Getting credentialed to work here is a very long process which also decreases the interest here in Maine. This is really too bad because Maine does have so much to offer.

In response to Mainlymaid... Come walk in my shoes for one day at the hospital and tell me that I dont deserve my wages. I agree that our CNA's who are often our "eyes and ears", dont get paid nearly what they deserved. As far as people going into nursing "just for the paycheck", you are sadly mistaken. Those people don't last in my world. You have to truly love what you are doing to stay in nursing for the long term. There are days that is is a thankless job for us, but each day brings on a new outlook for me. Perhaps it is that patient that truly needed that extra 10 minutes to talk, or the family memeber who has just lost a loved one and didnt make to the hospital in time but knew that this nurse stayed with that family member til the very end. These examples happen to us on a daily basis. Many of us dont get breaks or lunch and often come in early to get ourselves organized for the day which we know will be full of surprises. Many units throughout MGMC also have nursing students and it is our responsibilty to teach and set good standards. I think we do a great job with this on the whole.

As this article states... we are in big trouble if things don't change. I dont have the answers but I do know I am in that 15% of baby boomers and I am afraid of who will be taking care of me and my co workers. Our nursing programs need more instructors and we need to make this more appealing to our experienced nurses.report abuse

chromedome of China, ME Speaking as a person that not only was married to a surgeon for 16 years but also had two RN’s in his family I cringe from a taxpayers point of view when I hear politicians talk of more funding for the health care industry.

As everyone knows it takes forever to get an appointment with a medical professional and often forever to get services at hospitals. How will throwing more money at the problem get more care for more people?

I think it could do just the opposite, cause hospitals and medical professionals to raise their prices because they already have full calendars, more money won’t make more hours in the day, but if the money is there the professionals will absorb it. Higher prices will raise insurance rates forcing more people out of the insurance market.

The solution is to flood the system with more hospital services, more doctors and other health care professionals. Doing so will bring down the fees by competition and greatly shorten the time it takes to get seen at all levels of medicine.

How can Maine better compete for health care professionals?

Maine is known for high taxes, the solution could be for each practitioner, say five or eight years the State could waive all income taxes, offer free use of State parks etc. to those medical professionals we need. Rural Towns could waive real estate taxes, as an incentive to set up a needed practice in rural Maine communities or anywhere in Maine, again for a set period of time.

This could make Maine a more attractive place for medical school graduates to look at when setting up a practice, a very expensive thing to do anywhere. Once they have a practice established their incentive would be to stay, they have been here for a number of years and probably own a house and have found Maine a great place to live.

Everybody could win and without raising TAXES.report abuse

MainlyMaid of Auburn, ME I am so sick of hearing how we need more nurses! Nurses get $20 per hour just starting out? Who gets that with an associate degree except for nurses? No one! I would also remind you that most of the direct care given in most health care facilities is given by Nurses Aides who get half that. The RN's sit behind the desk, eat and otherwise do paperwork. During the times when I have had to visit a hospital to see a loved one I have endured RN's who have been appauled at having to rise from their thrones to assist my loved one. I have witnessed rolling eyes, sighs and downright rudeness from these queens and kings of the health care world. Perhaps it is not more nurses that we need but better nurses period. Nurses that have come to the field with not only a degree and expectation of higher pay but with the expectation that they will have to do some hands on work. In defense of some Nurses, there are those in emergency care who barely get to use the bathroom. They get yelled at (not just by patients but by doctors and co-workers), puked on, abused and yet, the ones I have seen, rarely step outside their professional selves. They work! Perhaps we should do more to encourage people to go into the field, like losing the idea that one has got a right to sue someone for breathing wrong in their presence, forgiving loans of practitioners that provide care to the indigent or making standard contributions by potential employers to loans already in repayment status. The one thing that will make it worse is a nationalized health care system. Where is the incentive to get into a field where your pay will be regulated by the government? We are already seeing the effects thousands more qualifying for medicaid. You can't see your doctor in a timely fashion anymore. I think that there are many things that need fixing starting with the providers personal expectations of the field itself.report abuse

hal of west gardiner, ME God bless those who persue the nursing professionreport abuse