One of the proposed solutions to the nursing shortage is to bring foreign nurses to the U.S. to work in our hospitals. I have worked with several such nurses in the hospital. These nurses have been trained in their home countries, mostly India, but must pass the U.S. tests for nursing to be licensed here. The organization that brings them over assists with their visas and expenses. They often must sign one or two year contracts to ensure that the company's investment is returned, and so are unable to quit if they feel their job is not a good fit.
In my experience, these nurses are well educated and competent. The problem is their communication skills are very poor. Communication is a huge part of what nurses do, especially hospital nurses. We communicate with the patients, the doctors, and with each other to ensure the best care for our patients. These foreign nurses have trouble communicating in our English language. The patients don't understand what they ask, or try to teach them. The doctors often flat out refuse to speak with them on the phone, and are little better in person. Their fellow nurses struggle to understand them, adding needless stress to every one's day. In the end, patient care suffers, as do these poor nurses, who are brought here as our saviors but are actually treated as stepchildren.
This can be a viable short-term option, though it is clearly not the best solution to our nursing shortage. If you do find one of these foreign nurses, be kind. Remember that you need to work extra hard to communicate your needs, and ask for clarification if you don't understand something she says. If you have a complaint then take it to the management and let them know what your specific problem is so that they know what to fix.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday Tips
Learn the generic names for the medications that you take on a regular basis; you will eliminate confusion and be able to compare prices. You should also know general information about the drug, such as what other medications it interacts with and how best to take it. Your pharmacist can give you this information, or find it here.
Before you have a surgery or procedure done you can take a tour of the part of the hospital where it will occur, or where you will be recovering. Ask the nurses there which doctor they recommend- they know who they would go to if they were in your shoes. You can also ask them what personal effects would be best to bring with you, and what equipment you may need for your recovery.
Be aware of the qualifications of the "nurse" who is caring for you. Many companies have begun to use personnel with less training in traditional nursing roles because they are cheaper. This is not to say they are not qualified to care for you, but you deserve to know their level of qualification. Some examples include school nurses, professionals in urgent care clinics, and hospitals. Many "nurses" in our schools are not really nurses at all, and are poorly equipped to handle medical situations. Often there is one true nurse for multiple schools. I spoke with a nurse at a local urgent care company that said she is the only nurse for all their Tulsa sites, the rest are "care technicians". In the hospital most of the people who enter your room are not nurses, but helpers. Do not hesitate to ask health care personnel if they are a nurse. I know it's confusing, so I will list the true nursing titles:
NP- nurse practitioner: does many things a doctor can do. 8 years of school
RN- registered nurse: very knowledgeable nurse, may supervise other nurses. 4 years of school
LPN/LVN- licensed practicing nurse/licensed vocational nurse: general nurse. 2 years of school
Before you have a surgery or procedure done you can take a tour of the part of the hospital where it will occur, or where you will be recovering. Ask the nurses there which doctor they recommend- they know who they would go to if they were in your shoes. You can also ask them what personal effects would be best to bring with you, and what equipment you may need for your recovery.
Be aware of the qualifications of the "nurse" who is caring for you. Many companies have begun to use personnel with less training in traditional nursing roles because they are cheaper. This is not to say they are not qualified to care for you, but you deserve to know their level of qualification. Some examples include school nurses, professionals in urgent care clinics, and hospitals. Many "nurses" in our schools are not really nurses at all, and are poorly equipped to handle medical situations. Often there is one true nurse for multiple schools. I spoke with a nurse at a local urgent care company that said she is the only nurse for all their Tulsa sites, the rest are "care technicians". In the hospital most of the people who enter your room are not nurses, but helpers. Do not hesitate to ask health care personnel if they are a nurse. I know it's confusing, so I will list the true nursing titles:
NP- nurse practitioner: does many things a doctor can do. 8 years of school
RN- registered nurse: very knowledgeable nurse, may supervise other nurses. 4 years of school
LPN/LVN- licensed practicing nurse/licensed vocational nurse: general nurse. 2 years of school
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Lister-what?
Listeriosis is a type of food poisoning caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. The CDC has confirmed that there has recently been an outbreak of this illness due to contaminated cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Granada, Colorado. Check here for updates regarding the outbreak. There are 55 people infected from 14 different states, 8 from Oklahoma. If you have one of these cantaloupes, throw it out, even if you have eaten part of it without illness. If you do become sick, see your doctor and let him know it could be listeriosis.
This bacteria is commonly found in soil and water; and often infects animals without any symptoms. It is usually not a severe illness for healthy adults and children, however, it can be deadly for infants, babies still in the womb, elderly people, and people with weak immune systems. It can be diagnosed with a lab culture (growing bacteria) of amniotic fluid, blood, feces, or urine.
Listeriosis contaminates food that has come into contact with water, dirt, or animals that are infected with the bacteria. It can survive for years and grows well at room temperature, but can even grow in the refrigerator. The bacteria is killed by heat. To prevent listeriosis be sure to wash all fruits and vegetables well, buy pasteurized products when possible, and thoroughly cook your foods. Lunch meats should be heated to steaming before being eaten by pregnant women or those with weak immune systems.
Listeriosis first causes general digestive problems and diarrhea. The bacteria will often spread beyond the stomach eventually causing symptoms such as fever and muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions. It is treated with antibiotics and with early treatment is easy to overcome.
Overall, you should not be fearful of listeriosis- only aware. It is easily prevented with basic food safety practices and not a severe illness for the general population.
This bacteria is commonly found in soil and water; and often infects animals without any symptoms. It is usually not a severe illness for healthy adults and children, however, it can be deadly for infants, babies still in the womb, elderly people, and people with weak immune systems. It can be diagnosed with a lab culture (growing bacteria) of amniotic fluid, blood, feces, or urine.
Listeriosis contaminates food that has come into contact with water, dirt, or animals that are infected with the bacteria. It can survive for years and grows well at room temperature, but can even grow in the refrigerator. The bacteria is killed by heat. To prevent listeriosis be sure to wash all fruits and vegetables well, buy pasteurized products when possible, and thoroughly cook your foods. Lunch meats should be heated to steaming before being eaten by pregnant women or those with weak immune systems.
Listeriosis first causes general digestive problems and diarrhea. The bacteria will often spread beyond the stomach eventually causing symptoms such as fever and muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions. It is treated with antibiotics and with early treatment is easy to overcome.
Overall, you should not be fearful of listeriosis- only aware. It is easily prevented with basic food safety practices and not a severe illness for the general population.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday Tips
1. Relax a little about the germs. Good old soap and water hand washing is the best germ prevention strategy. Using alcohol based hand sanitizers isn't recommended by the Centers for Disease Control unless soap and water are not available. Germs won't make you sick unless you aren't used to them. The Hygiene Hypothesis purports that our modern outbreak of allergies is due to a too clean lifestyle. A child's immune system is looking for germs to fight; if there are none then it will fight whatever it finds- pollen, peanut residue, or wheat. Studies have shown that children with multiple siblings, in daycare, and in third world countries have dramatically fewer allergies than those who are not exposed to germ sources.
2. Lay off the Tylenol, or, at least know how much you are taking. Tylenol poisoning is a growing problem in the health care world. Many prescription drugs for pain relief have Tylenol, also called acetaminophen, in them. This becomes a problem when people take them in addition to Tylenol for pain relief. Additional problems are the availability of extra strength doses and the confusion of multiple brand names for the same drugs. The maximum recomended dose of Tylenol/acetaminophen is 4000mg per 24 hours. That is 4 extra strength Tylenol. Prescription drugs such as Lortab and Percocet have Tylenol in them in differing amounts: ask your pharmacist how much so that you know what you are taking. Over the counter drugs such as Excedrin and Nyquil have Tylenol in them as well, so read the label before taking anything! Damages from Tylenol overdoses will not make you obviously sick immediately, but it will permanently damage your liver. Once you reach a critical amount of liver damage you will need a transplant. It's a serious problem that won't manifest itself until it's too late for a simple fix.
2. Lay off the Tylenol, or, at least know how much you are taking. Tylenol poisoning is a growing problem in the health care world. Many prescription drugs for pain relief have Tylenol, also called acetaminophen, in them. This becomes a problem when people take them in addition to Tylenol for pain relief. Additional problems are the availability of extra strength doses and the confusion of multiple brand names for the same drugs. The maximum recomended dose of Tylenol/acetaminophen is 4000mg per 24 hours. That is 4 extra strength Tylenol. Prescription drugs such as Lortab and Percocet have Tylenol in them in differing amounts: ask your pharmacist how much so that you know what you are taking. Over the counter drugs such as Excedrin and Nyquil have Tylenol in them as well, so read the label before taking anything! Damages from Tylenol overdoses will not make you obviously sick immediately, but it will permanently damage your liver. Once you reach a critical amount of liver damage you will need a transplant. It's a serious problem that won't manifest itself until it's too late for a simple fix.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
ICE- In Case of Emergency
Emergencies happen everywhere; one happened near my husband this last week. He called me to see what he should do, but, of course, I was unable to answer.
What happened was an older lady fell outside her home and was unable to get up. She called for help and he came running. He asked if she thought she could get up; she told him that she was in too much pain to move. She told him that her injured leg had an artificial knee. He told her not to move and asked if he could call someone for her. She asked him not to call 911, but to go and get a neighbor- the neighbor was not home. She asked him to call a friend, but there was no answer. He persuaded her to let him call 911 and he stayed with her to calm her until help came. She will need another surgery to replace her knee, but she should experience a full recovery.
So, what you should do in the event of a health emergency:
1. Stop/slow any bleeding.
2. Call 911.
3. Determine if the person is awake and in their right mind.
4. Keep them still. Do not move them unless they are in an unsafe place (the middle of a road).
5. Keep talking to the operator, they will guide you through until the paramedics arrive.
What happened was an older lady fell outside her home and was unable to get up. She called for help and he came running. He asked if she thought she could get up; she told him that she was in too much pain to move. She told him that her injured leg had an artificial knee. He told her not to move and asked if he could call someone for her. She asked him not to call 911, but to go and get a neighbor- the neighbor was not home. She asked him to call a friend, but there was no answer. He persuaded her to let him call 911 and he stayed with her to calm her until help came. She will need another surgery to replace her knee, but she should experience a full recovery.
So, what you should do in the event of a health emergency:
1. Stop/slow any bleeding.
2. Call 911.
3. Determine if the person is awake and in their right mind.
4. Keep them still. Do not move them unless they are in an unsafe place (the middle of a road).
5. Keep talking to the operator, they will guide you through until the paramedics arrive.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday Tips!
Here are this Tuesday's tips, if there is a topic that you would like to hear about specifically just leave me a comment!
If you do not have insurance (or are not using it), called "self-pay patient", then you can usually negotiate a cheaper rate for services. This is because health care providers, especially hospitals, inflate their fees. They do this because they have a "deal" worked out with insurance providers to give them a "discount". Just tell them you are paying for the service yourself and ask for a discount. I recently got $30 knocked off of an $100 office visit for my son because our insurance hadn't kicked in yet.
Get your flu shot! Yes, it's already that time. You want to get it early because it takes two weeks to fully protect you. You cannot get the flu from the shot, the virus is already dead and cannot infect you. However, your body will be working hard to make extra antibodies to protect you and you may need more rest and protein to help it along.
Since we've all started once again venturing outside, be sure to stay hydrated. It's tempting in the "cooler" weather to not drink so much. The thirst sensation often feels like hunger, so many of us eat when we are really thirsty. Be sure to drink before, during, and after all activity. You probably don't need to drink a sports drink, unless you are at a 3 hour football practice or other very long, strenuous activity. Your body stores plenty of electrolytes and those drinks have lots of calories. If your urine is pale yellow to clear then you are drinking enough; the darker it gets the more you need to drink. You can also weigh yourself before and after your workout and drink 20-24 fl. oz. for every pound of weight that you have lost during your workout.
Eat a breakfast high in protein and low in carbs and sugars. It will jump start your metabolism while giving you enough real fuel to get to lunch without becoming tired and hungry. Breakfast burritos or quiches are good options. Eggs are a wonder food- great for you and quick to prepare!
If you do not have insurance (or are not using it), called "self-pay patient", then you can usually negotiate a cheaper rate for services. This is because health care providers, especially hospitals, inflate their fees. They do this because they have a "deal" worked out with insurance providers to give them a "discount". Just tell them you are paying for the service yourself and ask for a discount. I recently got $30 knocked off of an $100 office visit for my son because our insurance hadn't kicked in yet.
Get your flu shot! Yes, it's already that time. You want to get it early because it takes two weeks to fully protect you. You cannot get the flu from the shot, the virus is already dead and cannot infect you. However, your body will be working hard to make extra antibodies to protect you and you may need more rest and protein to help it along.
Since we've all started once again venturing outside, be sure to stay hydrated. It's tempting in the "cooler" weather to not drink so much. The thirst sensation often feels like hunger, so many of us eat when we are really thirsty. Be sure to drink before, during, and after all activity. You probably don't need to drink a sports drink, unless you are at a 3 hour football practice or other very long, strenuous activity. Your body stores plenty of electrolytes and those drinks have lots of calories. If your urine is pale yellow to clear then you are drinking enough; the darker it gets the more you need to drink. You can also weigh yourself before and after your workout and drink 20-24 fl. oz. for every pound of weight that you have lost during your workout.
Eat a breakfast high in protein and low in carbs and sugars. It will jump start your metabolism while giving you enough real fuel to get to lunch without becoming tired and hungry. Breakfast burritos or quiches are good options. Eggs are a wonder food- great for you and quick to prepare!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Saturday Stories
I will never forget my very first patient, for more reasons than one. I was so very nervous; that first day in the hospital. I looked at my assigned patient's chart first thing- "Oh good", I thought, "it's a nice little old lady." I was assigned to the instructor with which I was least comfortable, and she chose to watch my assessment first. "Great." So I walk down the hall, followed by an instructor and four fellow students. I press open the door as I paste a smile over my nervous face.
"I'M GOING TO BITE YOU! DON'T YOU COME NEAR ME!" Wow. I was SO not prepared for this... My instructor took pity and said, "Tell her you are going to do your assessment and that she will not bite you." My mouse voice repeated her words. I was trembling to my very self. The patient turned her wide, wild eyes to my wide, astonished ones. "Go ahead and do your assessment," My instructor prompted. I bravely (I felt) started in. "I'm going to shine my light in your eyes," and, "please follow my pen with your eyes." Yeah, right. All the while judiciously keeping my fingers away from my patient's gaping mouth. I got to the part where I needed to listen to her lungs. "Please breath slowly in and out." Uh-huh. She was still screaming about biting me; I'm sure the nurses at the desk down the hall were all chuckling.
"Jade, I'm going to ask you to start over. Take a deep breath and start your assessment from the top. I know that you can do this." That meant I was doing something wrong, but what? I couldn't even think- in fact, I was lucky to be speaking through all the nerves. I started again. Again began to listen to her lungs, and again was stopped. I was almost in tears. My instructor (who became one of my favorite teachers), took me outside of the small room and pulled me aside. "I'm not going to pass your assessment today, Jade. You'll need to do three more practices in the lab tomorrow. You must always put your stethoscope UNDER the patients' gown and against their skin to listen to their lung sounds." Oh. Tears pooled, and began to spill. "I understand that you are nervous, but you will do better next time. Don't cry, it will be okay." Her tears then began to pool. After several deep breaths we walked back in. She chose another student to perform the assessment, and they did it right, of course. I focused on breathing in and out.
No one was bit that day, nor have I ever been bit. I passed my assessment the next week, conscientiously placing my stethoscope under the patient's gown. I eventually out grew my mouse voice, and came to love working with patients who are a bit more than your average crazy.
"I'M GOING TO BITE YOU! DON'T YOU COME NEAR ME!" Wow. I was SO not prepared for this... My instructor took pity and said, "Tell her you are going to do your assessment and that she will not bite you." My mouse voice repeated her words. I was trembling to my very self. The patient turned her wide, wild eyes to my wide, astonished ones. "Go ahead and do your assessment," My instructor prompted. I bravely (I felt) started in. "I'm going to shine my light in your eyes," and, "please follow my pen with your eyes." Yeah, right. All the while judiciously keeping my fingers away from my patient's gaping mouth. I got to the part where I needed to listen to her lungs. "Please breath slowly in and out." Uh-huh. She was still screaming about biting me; I'm sure the nurses at the desk down the hall were all chuckling.
"Jade, I'm going to ask you to start over. Take a deep breath and start your assessment from the top. I know that you can do this." That meant I was doing something wrong, but what? I couldn't even think- in fact, I was lucky to be speaking through all the nerves. I started again. Again began to listen to her lungs, and again was stopped. I was almost in tears. My instructor (who became one of my favorite teachers), took me outside of the small room and pulled me aside. "I'm not going to pass your assessment today, Jade. You'll need to do three more practices in the lab tomorrow. You must always put your stethoscope UNDER the patients' gown and against their skin to listen to their lung sounds." Oh. Tears pooled, and began to spill. "I understand that you are nervous, but you will do better next time. Don't cry, it will be okay." Her tears then began to pool. After several deep breaths we walked back in. She chose another student to perform the assessment, and they did it right, of course. I focused on breathing in and out.
No one was bit that day, nor have I ever been bit. I passed my assessment the next week, conscientiously placing my stethoscope under the patient's gown. I eventually out grew my mouse voice, and came to love working with patients who are a bit more than your average crazy.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Quick! I need a nurse!
There is a growing shortage of nurses, you may or may not have heard, but the health care world is scrambling to figure out both short term and long term solutions. Some have projected the shortage to reach 260,000 registered nurses by the year 2025. So what has caused this, and how do we fix it?
The first cause is the aging nurse population. According to the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses released in September 2010 by the federal Division of Nursing, the average age of the RN population in 2008 was 46 years of age, and nurses in their 50's are expected to become the largest segment of the nursing population. As many as one quarter of all nurses are expected to retire in the next two decades. The second cause is a lack of enough new nurses to replace the retiring ones, let alone to fill all the new positions being created by our aging baby boomer population. We are not making nurses fast enough to fill our ever increasing needs. However, U.S. nursing schools turned away over 67,500 qualified applicants in 2010-2011 because they don't have the faculty to train them. And it's no wonder why nurses don't want to be teachers- we make much more money working as nurses, and don't have the added stress of a student working under our license. Furthermore, the lack of nurses causes insufficient staffing at facilities; raising the stress level and decreasing job satisfaction for those nurses that are working-prompting them to leave the field entirely.
So how do we fix this problem? First of all we need more nurse educators. They should be paid well, this is, perhaps, the most important job in our society. They are training nurses how to care for people, and nurses are special in that they are the most knowledgeable person that will be with the patient on an hourly basis. We are often the first to spot a problem, and we are the last barrier to mistakes in patient care. Nurse educators should be highly esteemed. Second, we need to raise awareness in the general public so that those who are looking for a good, secure profession are aware of the need for nurses. Since 2002, Johnson and Johnson has a great campaign going to raise awareness of the nursing profession, more companies, especially health care companies should follow their example. Third, we need better work environments for nurses, and where that is not possible-better compensation for the overworked nurses.
Nursing is a stressful job in it's very nature. Caring for another is exhausting-just ask any mother. Nurses often deal with life and death situations, and with people who are cantankerous because they don't feel well. But for most of us nurses, our passion is helping people and that is it's own reward. This enables us to keep going to work, while hoping that there is an end to the shortage soon so that we can improve the quality of the care we give each day.
The first cause is the aging nurse population. According to the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses released in September 2010 by the federal Division of Nursing, the average age of the RN population in 2008 was 46 years of age, and nurses in their 50's are expected to become the largest segment of the nursing population. As many as one quarter of all nurses are expected to retire in the next two decades. The second cause is a lack of enough new nurses to replace the retiring ones, let alone to fill all the new positions being created by our aging baby boomer population. We are not making nurses fast enough to fill our ever increasing needs. However, U.S. nursing schools turned away over 67,500 qualified applicants in 2010-2011 because they don't have the faculty to train them. And it's no wonder why nurses don't want to be teachers- we make much more money working as nurses, and don't have the added stress of a student working under our license. Furthermore, the lack of nurses causes insufficient staffing at facilities; raising the stress level and decreasing job satisfaction for those nurses that are working-prompting them to leave the field entirely.
So how do we fix this problem? First of all we need more nurse educators. They should be paid well, this is, perhaps, the most important job in our society. They are training nurses how to care for people, and nurses are special in that they are the most knowledgeable person that will be with the patient on an hourly basis. We are often the first to spot a problem, and we are the last barrier to mistakes in patient care. Nurse educators should be highly esteemed. Second, we need to raise awareness in the general public so that those who are looking for a good, secure profession are aware of the need for nurses. Since 2002, Johnson and Johnson has a great campaign going to raise awareness of the nursing profession, more companies, especially health care companies should follow their example. Third, we need better work environments for nurses, and where that is not possible-better compensation for the overworked nurses.
Nursing is a stressful job in it's very nature. Caring for another is exhausting-just ask any mother. Nurses often deal with life and death situations, and with people who are cantankerous because they don't feel well. But for most of us nurses, our passion is helping people and that is it's own reward. This enables us to keep going to work, while hoping that there is an end to the shortage soon so that we can improve the quality of the care we give each day.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tuesday Tips!
Here are some helpful tips that my nursing career has taught me:
Hydrogen peroxide will remove blood from clothing. Just pour it on your garment before washing and scrub it around. The blood will be dissolved by the bubbles!
If someone is unable to get around well then fold a twin sheet in half and place it under them before they sit or lie down. Then you can pull on the sheet to move them rather than pulling on them. Be sure to smooth out the wrinkles by firmly tugging on the sheet after their weight is on it; it will be much more comfortable!
If you are going to have a procedure done that will require an intravenous line ("I.V."), then shave your arms before going in. Often the most painful part of an I.V. is the tape! Often they will have "paper tape" which is not as sticky and will not pull off fragile skin- just ask for it!
Finally, the cheapest place in Tulsa to buy medicines is Genscripts Pharmacy (http://www.genscripts.com/). They have medications at half the price, ten cent maintenance medications, and free antibiotics! They also have a delivery program. Reasor's (http://www.reasors.com/healthwell/pharmacy_hlth.php) also has free antibiotics to help our community!
Hydrogen peroxide will remove blood from clothing. Just pour it on your garment before washing and scrub it around. The blood will be dissolved by the bubbles!
If someone is unable to get around well then fold a twin sheet in half and place it under them before they sit or lie down. Then you can pull on the sheet to move them rather than pulling on them. Be sure to smooth out the wrinkles by firmly tugging on the sheet after their weight is on it; it will be much more comfortable!
If you are going to have a procedure done that will require an intravenous line ("I.V."), then shave your arms before going in. Often the most painful part of an I.V. is the tape! Often they will have "paper tape" which is not as sticky and will not pull off fragile skin- just ask for it!
Finally, the cheapest place in Tulsa to buy medicines is Genscripts Pharmacy (http://www.genscripts.com/). They have medications at half the price, ten cent maintenance medications, and free antibiotics! They also have a delivery program. Reasor's (http://www.reasors.com/healthwell/pharmacy_hlth.php) also has free antibiotics to help our community!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Show me the money...
There is a serious shortage of common, cheap medicines. These are medicines that the pharmaceutical companies have been making for decades. They are important in the treatment of many common symptoms including nausea, swelling, and itching. Since these drugs, which control such common symptoms, are simple, well understood, and easy to manufacture; why are extreme shortages happening?
It is because these drugs are also "cheap", meaning the profit margin on them is low. In many cases there is only one company with one plant manufacturing the supply for our whole country. Because this one company is trying to make a profit from the low cost drug they manufacture, they are financially lead to cut corners- safety corners. The FDA then, during inspections, finds faults and shuts down the plant until the problems are addressed. This abruptly ends the supply of that drug indefinitely, which forces physicians to choose another drug to treat their clients symptoms. The replacement drug is always less suited to the clients problem and does not work as well causing delays in treatment and unhappy clients.
The major pharmaceutical companies, which could better handle the smaller profit margin on some drugs, refuse to manufacture these endangered drugs because the profit margins are nowhere near those of the newly researched drugs that are just hitting the market. This is especially true in the field of oncology drugs. A dose of decadron (a common steroid) may cost a few dollars, but a dose of neupogen (which stimulates white blood cell growth) may cost $6,000!
The solution, then is either to raise the cost of these common medications, or to find a company which is willing to make a smaller profit margin on some drugs for the good of the American people. I don't think the problem will end anytime soon.
It is because these drugs are also "cheap", meaning the profit margin on them is low. In many cases there is only one company with one plant manufacturing the supply for our whole country. Because this one company is trying to make a profit from the low cost drug they manufacture, they are financially lead to cut corners- safety corners. The FDA then, during inspections, finds faults and shuts down the plant until the problems are addressed. This abruptly ends the supply of that drug indefinitely, which forces physicians to choose another drug to treat their clients symptoms. The replacement drug is always less suited to the clients problem and does not work as well causing delays in treatment and unhappy clients.
The major pharmaceutical companies, which could better handle the smaller profit margin on some drugs, refuse to manufacture these endangered drugs because the profit margins are nowhere near those of the newly researched drugs that are just hitting the market. This is especially true in the field of oncology drugs. A dose of decadron (a common steroid) may cost a few dollars, but a dose of neupogen (which stimulates white blood cell growth) may cost $6,000!
The solution, then is either to raise the cost of these common medications, or to find a company which is willing to make a smaller profit margin on some drugs for the good of the American people. I don't think the problem will end anytime soon.
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