2006年VOA标准英语-Hospitals and States Compete Amid US Nursi

By Peter Fedynsky
Washington, D.C.
02 January 2006
 
watch Nursing report

The United States today is suffering a severe nursing shortage, which is only expected to get worse.  VOA's Peter Fedynsky reports that the shortage is pitting hospital against hospital and state against state in a stiff competition for the relatively¹ few nurses willing and able to work.

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Nurses are in short supply throughtout the United States  
  

In hospitals across America, there are more than 100,000 nursing positions available.  The U.S. Labor² Department is forecasting 800,000 openings by the year 2020.   The demand is greatest in California, where a new law mandates³ one nurse for every five patients. 

Pediatric nurse Jennifer Hall is one of them.  She makes $60,000 per year and works only three days a week -- an indication of how much hospitals are willing to pay.  In addition, Ms. Hall has a generous benefit package.

Jennifer Hall   
  
"I get free private housing, I get utility reimbursement⁴, I get free insurance,” she says.

California also has a team of recruiters whose job is to find nurses in other states.

Not to be outdone, the governor of Illinois recently signed a series of new laws aimed at attracting nurses to that state.  One of the measures increases grants for nursing education, another makes it easier for foreign nurses to practice in the state, and yet another prohibits hospitals from requiring nurses to work overtime⁵.

Many states actively⁶ promote nursing as a career at high schools and even middle schools.  Norfolk, Virginia offers teenagers a nursing camp.

Male students are becoming more common in nursing schools  
  
"It's very interesting to see it because you get a feel for what you want to do," said one student.

Meanwhile in the state of Texas, nurses who signed with one hospital in Dallas were entered into a drawing for one of four free automobiles⁷ offered as employment incentives⁸. And at least four in ten hospitals offer cash bonuses -- some as high as $15,000 -- for signing a nursing contract.

And nursing schools are trying to market the profession to men, who traditionally avoid it.

"We do target it to some of the macho images that our own students told us would be helpful in attracting males," says Dr. Patricia Stark⁹ at the University of Texas Medical School.

Sapish Chawla works at a nursing school in India, where students are sought after by the United States and Great Britain  
  
Americans hospitals are also enlisting¹⁰ many foreign nurses eager for better wages.  India and other countries where English is widely spoken are targets for recruiters.  A new life overseas and money are not the only incentives, says Sapish Chawla, a spokeswoman for a nursing school in New Delhi.

"Working environments are much better [overseas].  What they have learnt in their training programs, they can practice overseas, which is lacking with us."

The U.S. nursing shortage is blamed on several factors.  Women today have other career options and more nurses are reaching retirement¹¹ age just as America's aging population needs more medical care.

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

4 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？

5 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

6 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

7 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

10 enlisting   

v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的现在分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• He thought about enlisting-about the Spanish legion-about a profession. 他想去打仗，想参加西班牙军团，想找个职业。 来自辞典例句
• They are not enlisting men over thirty-five. 他们不召超过35岁的人入伍。 来自辞典例句

11 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。