LETTER TO BUSINESS OWNERS |
November 2004
Dear Business Owner:
The purpose of this letter is to discuss with you the importance and dynamics of our current healthcare crisis; enlighten you about the Southern Nevada Medical Industry Coalition (SNMIC), and inform you how this proactive, non-partisan group of business leaders is tackling one of our most challenging issues: educating and training nurses and recruiting nursing faculty.
During the past 20 years, the access and affordability of healthcare has become one of the most important topics for business. The rising costs of operating your business and the ability to recruit and retain your employees are directly related to our healthcare system.
We are very concerned about access of healthcare providers for you and your employees. The enormous residential growth of the Las Vegas Valley has prompted the construction of five new hospitals in less than three years and it is said that our region still does not have enough hospital beds based upon the population growth. In addition to our challenges with insurance and the lack of physicians, the State of Nevada is ranked last in the U.S. for the number of nurses per capita.
This crisis is directly and negatively affecting your business; higher operating costs, higher insurance premiums and the challenge of recruiting and retaining your workforce.
The SNMIC is comprised of community leaders, healthcare organizations, physicians, academic institutions, healthcare executives and city government officials. Over 200 individuals now have volunteered their personal and professional time to study and understand Southern Nevada's healthcare delivery system in order to help influence its direction and improvement. The Coalition’s purpose is to have a collective voice to insure improved access and delivery of quality healthcare to the citizens of Southern Nevada.
The EXCELLENT NEWS is that the business community can significantly help our collective cause:
- To educate and train more nursing students, and
- To recruit more nursing faculty for our local colleges
Please see the fact sheet directly below this letter and the link to the donation form located right above this letter.
Your support is greatly appreciated!
Respectfully,
Education Task Force |
Connie Carpenter
Ph.D.
Co-Champion
Director of Nursing
Nevada State College |
Irene Colson
RN, MSN
Co-Champion
Clinical Instructor
Community College of
So. NV School of Nursing |
Rosemary Witt
Ph.D.
Co-Champion
Director of Nursing
Nevada State College |
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SOME FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW:
- "It's a critical nursing shortage we've never seen before." - Vicki Huber, UMC, Senior Associate Administrator. Nurses per 100,000: National 782 vs Nevada 520, which means we need an additional 4,200 nurses to be even with the national average.
- America's registered nurses (RN) are also aging and the supply of new RNs has not made up for those who are leaving hospitals or retiring.
- One half of today's RNs will retire in the next 10-15 years, around the time aging baby boomers increasingly will require their services.
- "One of our dire shortages is nurses who are nurse educators -- the people who train nurses." - Dr. Joe Hardy, Family Practice Physician and State Legislator.
- "We cannot overcome our nursing shortage by assuming that hospitals alone are responsible for curing it. The business community -- acting together -- is the answer." - Bob Cooper, Economic Development Manager, City of Henderson.
- Shortage of nurses means:
- higher insurance rates to businesses
- higher turnover rates for your employees
- patient care can be compromised, a 2002 survey reported 65% of public cited shortage of nurses as the leading cause of medical errors while receiving medical care.
- lower nurse-patient ratios, can result in increased risk of complications after surgery
- longer waits in doctors' offices
- longer waits in emergency rooms, ambulance diversions, and the need to close beds.
- As of September 2004, we currently have 16 nursing faculty vacancies at NSC, CCSN, and UNLV, representing approximately 20% of our nursing faculty.
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We need your help!
Invest in the future of Southern Nevada.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR NURSING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
THANK YOU. |
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If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader please CLICK HERE. |
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Learn about how to become a nurse with this fun and informative brochure. This PDF answers questions like:
- How do I become a nurse?
- How much does a nurse earn?
- What education is required?
- How do I GO FOR IT?
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