Thread: 'Bordering" on a Solution- Are You Ready for Mexico's N

This should not be a shock to anyone's central nervous system...didn't we all know this was coming? Just think..it all started with someone hiring an illegal gardener or housekeeper back in the 60's! Now the whole country of Mexico is either here, or on their way!
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More Mexico news

Bordering on a solution


State and national nursing shortages could be addressed by hiring from Mexico, but English proficiency is one of many hurdles potential applicants face
By Sandra Dibble
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

January 13, 2008

EL CENTRO – For years, the Imperial Valley's largest hospital has grappled not only with the national nursing shortage but with a lack of Spanish-speaking nurses able to communicate easily with the Latino patients who fill most of the beds.


PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune
Fernando Angeles, a nurse at El Centro Regional Medical Center, helped Refugio Tostado, 83, sit up to breathe better. Most patients there are originally from Mexico, and hospital officials say Mexican nurses such as Angeles could fill a need for Spanish-speakers.
The solution may be right next door, in Mexico.

“For the valley, nothing makes more sense,â€

OVERVIEW
Background: U.S. nursing schools have been unable to produce enough new graduates to meet the nation's need for additional nurses.

Every nursing school that I know of, turns away students. It's been this way for years. They blame not having enough teachers.

The cost of one nursing school here in Columbus is $20,000 annually.

RNs make $60,000 - $90,000 / year. The upper level make require travel and/or overtime.

I've always suspected the profession wants a "tight supply". This keeps wages high. Any profession or job that restricts entry, can usually ask for higher than average wages.

They say the United States should do more to expand its own nursing education programs rather than look abroad. The American Nurses Association says it comes down to money, and the U.S. government's commitment to support nursing faculty.

I've three nieces who just graduated as RNs and one LPN. There are five schools within 30 -70 miles that have nursing programs that are always full. If we bring in Mexican nationals, where do American nurses work? The money problem is the desire of facilities who employ nurses to get them at a price equal to fast food workers. News flash! Nursing requires more skills/education than fast food service.

If Mexico treated their people there we wouldn't have so many hospitals here going broke. We had a plea from the hospitals in Des Moines (sanctuary capitol city of Iowa) requesting the public please consider using the free clinics instead of the ERs. No explanation of what's causing the problem of course.

If all these non-English speaking patients are undocumented....
Wouldn't it be cheaper to send them to Mexican Hospitals?

Why are all our border hospitals full of Spanish speaking patients. Are they receiving more than EMERGENCY care at US Taxpayer expense?

THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS THAT MEXICO SHOULD OPEN HOSPITALS IN MEXICO FOR NON ENGLISH SPEAKING PATIENTS.....EVEN IF THEY ARE USA CITIZENS. IF THEY CANT SPEAK ENGLISH THEN THEY WOULD BE BETTER CARED FOR IN A COUNTRY THAT SPEAKS THEIR LANGUAGE. THEY WOULD GET BETTER SAFER CARE THERE. AND THE HOSPITALS COULD BE OPENED NEAR THE BORDER SO THE PATIENTS WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED VERY FAR. WITH ALL OF THE MEXICAN PATIENTS WE HAVE IN OUR HOSPITALS, I AM SURE MEXICO WOULD LIKE TO HELP TAKE THE SPANISH SPEAKERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR COUNTRYMEN GET THE BEST OF CARE.

Originally Posted by redpony353

THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS THAT MEXICO SHOULD OPEN HOSPITALS IN MEXICO FOR NON ENGLISH SPEAKING PATIENTS.....EVEN IF THEY ARE USA CITIZENS. IF THEY CANT SPEAK ENGLISH THEN THEY WOULD BE BETTER CARED FOR IN A COUNTRY THAT SPEAKS THEIR LANGUAGE. THEY WOULD GET BETTER SAFER CARE THERE. AND THE HOSPITALS COULD BE OPENED NEAR THE BORDER SO THE PATIENTS WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE TRANSFERRED VERY FAR. WITH ALL OF THE MEXICAN PATIENTS WE HAVE IN OUR HOSPITALS, I AM SURE MEXICO WOULD LIKE TO HELP TAKE THE SPANISH SPEAKERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR COUNTRYMEN GET THE BEST OF CARE.

Sarcasm. Right?

The future: Potentially, an unlimited number of Mexican nurses could work in the United States under a special provision of the North American Free Trade Agreemen

All I can say is that I hope I never end up in the hospital