GRAHAM'S TANTRUM: THE VIDEO

Thanks to a reader for the link.

Comments

[Jim]

"make them sit for exams to make sure they are upto US standards"

That's already being done for years. English proficiency exams is also a must and the different State Board either evaluates the foreign nurses' education or a 3rd party like CGFNS.org does the credential/education equivalency for them and submits a credential report to the nursing board.

The union leadership knows this. They just don't educate or correct other members that foreign nurses are not just rounded up in vans and then just go to the US in a snap of a finger.

And most foreign nurses, specially those from coming from the Philippines are B.S. in nursing degree holders and has been evaluated for years to be equivalent to a US B.S. nursing degree. BTW, lots of nationalities (including Americans) goes to the Philippines now to get their 4 yr B.S. degrees because they know it's going to be evaluated equivalent to a B.S. degree in nursing as oppose to going to UK or Australia because not only it's more expensive but believe it or not - it's not equivalent to US standards. They (UK and Australian nurses) have to do additional courses in the US just to make it equivalent.

If we think about it, these foreign nurses holding BS degrees are the future educators as well specially with the reluctance of locals to go beyond 2 yr associate degrees (no chance of being educators) and preferences for on-line courses. Hmmm... maybe that's one of the reasons. They don't want brown people teaching future American nurses. They'll do it too you know when they are already on their 50s and will not ask to be paid higher than what other professors receives in other fields.

I think we just opened another can of worms....

[George Chell]

"Having said that, shortage is extremely dangerous situation and will get worse in future. Forced overtime, higher patient to nurse ratio etc are all bad for any hospitals, resulting in more errors. Its about time that Congress provides more funding for schools to increase enrollment and also bandaid solution with extra green cards for nurses(this time it better keep family members not counting in that quota)."

To alleviate shortage they have to do one of two things or a combination of both:

1. Train nurses at universities. At present the economic crises has decimate uni budgets and this has adversely impact nursing education..at least here in Virginia.

2. Bring in more foreign nurses, make them sit for exams to make sure they are upto US standards. The unions I hope support this but I am not holding my breath in anticipation.

It is very evident that the same folks who claim to want to train Americans and not bring in foreigners have little or nothing to say about budget cuts. Did not see FAIR or CIS protest budget cuts in front of the state capitols. But, I am pretty sure that they will be back in early 2012 protesting the recruitment of foreigners and emphasizing we train Americans...what have these antis done to advance the cause of training Americans..what has Kirkorian, Camarotta, Vaughan and Stein done? Nothing..that is why I question their motives. If you put all of these together, plus lack of protest from them about hiring foreigners in Hollywood, you cannot come to any other conclusion other than the fact that they are afraid of a non-white America just like many of their tea party constituents. And, yes, I dont see them protesting in front of BoA HQ in Charlotte, NC protesting the fact that no Americans are being hired in the US while there is a lot of recruitment abroad...they dont care if jobs go abroad..they only want to keep this country white..that is their only goal...they dont care about US workers...and sooner the US workers figure this out, the better!

[Adi]

"There was a big brouhaha blast year because of *some* problem nurses that can't be fired because of a combination of unions not letting dangerous members not get fired and reluctance to fire a potentially problem employee because of fear that they would not be able to find replacement in a nursing shortage."

Well what can you say when you let the inmates run the asylum. These are rare cases and do not represent way of working for $2trillion economy. The unit I worked on, people were let go at a drop of hat while shortage was just as severe. Hospitals did not admit patients if floors did not have adequate staff. Portraying cases that come in news as general way of working is nothing more than rheotric.

Having said that, shortage is extremely dangerous situation and will get worse in future. Forced overtime, higher patient to nurse ratio etc are all bad for any hospitals, resulting in more errors. Its about time that Congress provides more funding for schools to increase enrollment and also bandaid solution with extra green cards for nurses(this time it better keep family members not counting in that quota).

"And don't forget, 32 million more insured people by 2014."
They are already in the system overwhelming emergency rooms. If anything they will have regular doctor visits and less ER visits.

[George Chell]

Charles Grassley's vision for America...

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-31/bofa-hires-staff-leans-on-merrill-lynch-to-expand-outside-u-s-.html

"Montag told colleagues at a March conference in London that most global banking hires this year will be outside the U.S., according to two people with direct knowledge of his remarks."

How does he make this vision a reality....

1. By putting restrictions on TARP hires from abroad....

http://www.businessinsider.com/bank-of-america-slams-door-shut-on-foreign-mbas-2009-3

BoA slams the doors shut in the US but moves those jobs abroad as is evident from the first link.

2. By pushing for Free Trade Agreement...

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Chuck_Grassley.htm#Free_Trade

Making it easier to move jobs abroad while restricting H1Bs at home..an explosive combination which will lead to jobs being sent abroad and fewer tax and social security revenues.

3. By supporting cuts in education spending which results in fewer Americans being trained.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Chuck_Grassley.htm#Education

Charles Grassley's goal is to send jobs abroad and when we have less tax and ss revenues support more borrowing from countries to which we have sent jobs or draconian cuts in spending. This is his vision for America.

[George Chell]

"That is judged by medical boards/nursing boards not by lawyers. Immigration reform does not solve this problem either. Is it your belief that Americans are inherently incompetent and we need foreign labor to help them?"

I think Jim has answered the question very well..precise and to the point that even a child can understand!

[George Chell]

"Expect 60 hours/week straight to be more common as ever as the shortage gets worse. And as that becomes more common due to necessity, there will be more burn-outs and that will lead to more nurses quitting."

And there are some folks who wonder why I go abroad for medical checkup. I am getting old..over 50..everyone has to die soon. But, I dont like being in a vegetative state...one thing for sure,...nurses in Singapore can work max only 30 hours.

[Jim]

Expect 60 hours/week straight to be more common as ever as the shortage gets worse. And as that becomes more common due to necessity, there will be more burn-outs and that will lead to more nurses quitting. The ave. time for quitting is already 3-5 years. Expect that to shorten to about 1-2 yrs.

Then expect more new domestic nurses coming out of on-line courses rather than the traditional mode of teaching. All of whom would only be 2 yr associate degrees of w/c there is no chance for them to become educators as you need a minimum B.S. in nursing degree holder to teach associate degree courses and a Masteral degree to teach a B.S. in nursing degree. 60% of domestic nurses are already ADNs as it is. If they keep this up, that stat will only go up and up until there are no more BSN and MS degree holder nurses and that will create even more shortage as there are no more nurses qualified of being educators w/c means more on-line courses.

It's a spiral down until it eventually collapses.

"The shortage is one reason the demand for nurses is so high. The need is causing nurses to burn out because they're being forced to work longer hours and pull extra shifts to make up for the shortage."

http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_7571.shtml

"Nursing
To address this growing need, Illinois-based Chamberlain College of Nursing even started offering several online nursing degree programs with only the clinical requirements done on site.

"There has been an increased interest in nursing as an opportunity with many options for the future," says Gail Baumlein, Chamberlain's director of online programs. "We have also seen an increase in the number of individuals who have chosen nursing as a second career." (The entire nation is suffering from unemployment headaches, but some industries are hurting worse than others. Don't miss "Careers in Crisis: Three Industries Hit Hardest by Job Losses.")

Baumlein doesn't see the demand for nurses slowing down anytime soon. "With the growing number of baby boomers entering a time of increased need for healthcare, with the increased longevity of our population, and with the variety of options available within the nursing profession, the opportunities are significant."

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-jobs_that_are_growing_despite_the_recession-1196

[Jim]

Could a national identity card help resolve the heated immigration-reform divide?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100330/us_time/08599197492700

It was previously mentioned on previous articles that the info on the card won't be held on an on-line database. That should negate the big brother issue.

[Jim]

"That is judged by medical boards/nursing boards not by lawyers"

Unfortunately, the nursing boards are not enough specially on union-heavy States such as CA.

There was a big brouhaha blast year because of *some* problem nurses that can't be fired because of a combination of unions not letting dangerous members not get fired and reluctance to fire a potentially problem employee because of fear that they would not be able to find replacement in a nursing shortage.

Expect more issues like that as the nursing shortage worsens as the US economy recovers, the old nurses finally retire once they are able to jack up their pensions and/or 401(k)s

And don't forget, 32 million more insured people by 2014.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-nursing-board14-2009jul14,0,1002564.story

http://www.heralddeparis.com/when-caregivers-harm-problem-nurses-stay-on-the-job-as-patients-suffer/44035

[Adi]

"Quality? How good are they?"

That is judged by medical boards/nursing boards not by lawyers. Immigration reform does not solve this problem either. Is it your belief that Americans are inherently incompetent and we need foreign labor to help them?

[George Chell]

"But not enough schools. All schools are overly subcribed. Previous point was to point that there are enough Americans wanting to go into science but not enough schools."

Quality? How good are they? Or are they just mediocre but want tort reform which will absolve them of killing someone either due to incomptence or due to working sixty hours straight?

[Another Voice]

Now ICE agents have quotas. As the article discusses, now ICE officers are going to be even more inclined to persecute non-criminals illegal aliens who are easy targets and the process to deport them is shorter than criminal’s aliens. Is definitely not about keeping our community safe…is it?

++++++++++++++++++++

ICE officials set quotas to deport more illegal immigrants
By Spencer S. Hsu and Andrew Becker
March 27, 2010

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032604891.html

[Adi]

"Actually I have heard from a good source that they are soooo slow in there that they are actually trying to work to justify their jobs"

I think more the queue of GC, more work they get. More EADs, APs, H1b extns etc when GC is delayed. They might be plush with money now. Once they issue a GC, that cash cow is gone.

[Adi]

"I think CIR will be used as a tool for obama's re election in 2012."

Yep lip service again in 2012, then it will again be mid term elections and then again new presidency time. While all this time hispanics are blocking efforts for any other relief.

[Adi]

"You always contradict. In the previous topic you said there are plenty of people willing to go to nursing school."

But not enough schools. All schools are overly subcribed. Previous point was to point that there are enough Americans wanting to go into science but not enough schools. Whenever there is labor shortage as critical as healthcare field, labor has to be imported (band aid approach) and produced in large numbers at home. None of which is happening and leading to disastrous results.

[Another Voice]

"if CIR comes through the dept has to handle 10 million people and they cant even handle half a million for now."

Actually I have heard from a good source that they are soooo slow in there that they are actually trying to work to justify their jobs, trying to do every step in the book in all processes because there has been so little movement in immigration procedures.....

[john]

GC,
it may be possible to get vote for peacemeal bills with the help of repubs, but do you think democrats will ever do it. its a political suicide turning against hispanic caucus. I think CIR will be used as a tool for obama's re election in 2012.
status quo is better- atleast they will issue visas to everyone in two to three years. if CIR comes through the dept has to handle 10 million people and they cant even handle half a million for now.

[George Chell]

"Its very essential to focus on doctor/nurse shortage."

You always contradict. In the previous topic you said there are plenty of people willing to go to nursing school.

[George Chell]

"His chief of staff Rahm, had already mentioned immigration as political suicide for potential of second term (and this was right after elections in 2008)."

Immanuel is the main reason why the Dems are in very serious trouble in the upcoming elections. One can only hope that a one to two seat majority by the GOP in the House and a six to seven seat loss in the Senate forces Rahm Immanuel out along with other morons in the admin such as Geithner. They seriously need to do some house cleaning. However, it could have been a lot worse..Obama could have nominated Mohammed El Arian of PIMPCO as Treasury Sec...a loose cannon who comes on CNBC with his predictions which are always wrong!

[George Chell]

"The Hispanic caucus in the House will prevent any piecemeal reform, we have been there before in the past."

Probably not if GOP has a one to two seat majority in the House and there are pro-business folks in the party.

[My 2 cents]

The Hispanic caucus in the House will prevent any piecemeal reform, we have been there before in the past.

[Jim]

@Adi

I would have to agree with you. It really does seem that it is more realistic and practical to do piece-meal legislations at the moment specially with all the "no more co-operation" rhetorics from Sen. Graham and McCain.

[Adi]

"On the other hand, I think Sen. Graham has a point in that it should start with Pres. Obama and to get some Republicans in."

I remember that during CNN interview, immigration was not in his top 5 priorities.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/31/obama.blitzer/index.html
It was always down in the list. His chief of staff Rahm, had already mentioned immigration as political suicide for potential of second term (and this was right after elections in 2008). They are not going to touch it unless its delivered on silver platter by senate. I don't expect anything more than lip service from them. Piecemeal legislation is the only way to put some people out of their misery. Dream act and nursing bill are critical to be passed right on time. Its very essential to focus on doctor/nurse shortage.

[Jim]

The Dems should just do it alone. They should have learned by now from what happened on HCR that the other party really isn't sincere in cooperating and is only doing so as a means to delay on doing anything until the Nov. elections.

Passing CIR or at least introducing it for debates would be a win-win situation for the Dems.

On the other hand, I think Sen. Graham has a point in that it should start with Pres. Obama and to get some Republicans in. Not just a 2nd Republican. Write the bill and send it to them.