Wellness Shepherd Wendy’s Support for a Healthcare Guest Worker Program to Address the U.S. Nursing (and Nursing Assistant) Shortage
I strongly support the American Health Care Association’s (AHCA) request to include a viable guest worker program in immigration reform. North America faces a critical shortage of geriatricians, nurses and nursing assistants—a deficit that will only worsen as the “Silver Tsunami” of our aging population drives up demand. We simply do not have enough domestic personnel to meet current or future patient needs.
Caregiving is a universal skill that transcends borders. High-quality care requires an open heart, deep empathy, and an unwavering commitment to the elderly, the disabled, and the infirm. Based on my experience in senior living, healthcare professionals from regions such as Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, and the Philippines consistently display this profound dedication and connect deeply with their patients.
This proposal does not diminish the incredible work of the United States’ own remarkable nursing corps; rather, it acknowledges that they need reinforcement. By implementing a system that thoroughly vets and qualifies international candidates, a guest worker program would safely infuse our healthcare system with the talent it desperately needs. Attentive, supportive care is a universal language, and it is time our immigration policies reflect that reality
Article from TheHill.com (health blog section) based on a request from the U.S. nursing home industry to include a “viable” guest worker program in any immigration reform is below.
NURSING HOMES WANT GUEST WORKER PROGRAM IN IMMIGRATION BILL
By Sam Baker – 03/13/13 10:34 AM ET – TheHill.com
The nursing-home industry said Wednesday that Congress should include a “viable” guest worker program in any immigration overhaul, and should also lift caps on employer-sponsored visas for healthcare workers.
The American Health Care Association (AHCA) said immigration reform should recognize the needs of employers — including nursing homes and long-term care providers, who rely heavily on immigrants for positions such as nurses.
“Members of the long term care community employ immigrants and boost the economy. Any visa program must give employers, not the government, the primary say in which workers they need to staff their businesses,” the AHCA said. “In addition, the labor market should also have the primary say in how many workers enter the country annually in a legal program.”
The group is scheduled to testify at a House hearing Thursday on immigration reform.
AHCA said the supply of skilled nurses in the U.S. will fall more than 30 percent short by 2020 if Congress does not act. The nursing-home group said immigration reform should allow employers to access “previously unused” temporary visas for healthcare workers.
Wellness Shepherd 