Managed Care
December 13, 1999
in response to topic Managed Care, January 6, 1997
Dear Editor:
I write in response to the topic of Managed Care. The facility in which I am employed has recently experienced a mass resignation of professional nurses, which we attribute to the redesign program that was initiated in our facility three years ago. This redesign included a very inappropriate ratio of licensed personnel to unlicensed personnel, making it extremely difficult to provide quality nursing care. As a result of a lack of administrative support and frustration with the working situation over 30 staff members, including a Director of Nursing, recently resigned. I write this letter as a call to administrators to listen to nurses when they describe their concerns regarding inadequate professional staff and to respond to these concerns so we can all work to provide adequate care to patients.
A redesigned system must be constantly re-evaluated and modified in order to meet current demands. All staffing innovations need to be evaluated and adjusted on a regular basis. This is especially important now that we are confronted with the return of the nursing shortage.
Administrators: Please be supportive and let nurses do the job they are best at doing, namely, that of caring for patients.
CAG
Philadelphia
