Few politicians seem to realize that when they oppose immigration and, if they are Republicans, want to go back a century to permit child labor, they do not understand how many educated immigrants comprise a significant percentage of highly trained work forces, like say nurses.The American healthcare system already the worst, yet most expensive, in the developed world depends, particularly in rural areas, on immigrant nurses. There is already a massive shortage in this country of trained nurses and because of our crazy immigrant system, as this article describes, it is about to get worse. We are going to see, particularly in Reed states a growing number of what are called medical deserts. The effect is oing to be even poorer healthcare for Republican voters. I wonder if they realize that?
The U.S. is now facing a projected shortage of more than 200,000 nurses in the next few years. Credit: Jens Schlueter / Getty
The stream of international nurses coming to work in the United States could soon slow to a trickle because of a backlog of green card petitions at the State Department.
The department announced in its May bulletin it moved the cut-off date for visa eligibility to June 1, 2022 — meaning only those who filed petitions before that date will be able to continue with their applications this fiscal year — because of soaring demand. Anyone who filed a green card petition in the past year, which could include thousands of nurses, won’t be able to proceed with their applications.
Health groups say the move could devastate a nursing workforce that is plagued by staffing shortages in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And emergency room doctors say not having enough nurses is a top concern coming out of the pandemic.
“If that pipeline stops, it ain’t gonna be good — and I’m talking […]
I think it’s important to keep in mind — and to stress! — that it’s not ‘red states’ which are and will suffer from nursing shortages, medical deserts, and other anti-humanist politically-based policies, but the poor, and largely people of color, who will suffer. The financially well-off folk can always travel for such care. I believe it’s imperative to keep this distinction foreground.
Stephan Schwartz
on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 2:13 pm
You are correct it is the poor that will suffer the most, but this trend is most significant in Red states, and that is important to note.
You are correct it is the poor that will suffer the most, but this trend is most significant in Red states, and that is important to note.