Travel nurses may not consider it, but the fact is that political issues affect their lives as well as the lives of every single American today. This is even more true in the world of health care where issues range from financial to moral and few are anything but controversial. Each issue is very important for travel nurses to consider and nurses should be taking steps to educate themselves on these issues and how they affect the way we do business.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll dig into ten topics that we at eJane feel are the most important in the country. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts and ideas by leaving comments.

Insurance
Health insurance is an issue that rests near the forefront of the current presidential campaign and debates, and nurses must take notice take notice on this issue. The idea of implementing universal health insurance, (or possibly even simply more accessible health care) could create a potentially huge influx of new patients into the system who were not able to access medical care in the past. While this is a good thing for the overall health of Americans, it will undoubtedly place a strain on a nationwide workforce of nurses who are already worn thin.

As with everything in this world, there is a cost. The cost of insuring many more Americans in this case appears to be the over-stressing of nurses around the country. Possible solutions? Well, for one - more nurses. Many universities are now offering fast-track programs that will get more qualified nurses into the workforce at a faster rate. For seasoned nurses already in the field, this means more new faces with less on-the-job experience - which could ultimately lead to more Americans getting less-effective care.

If this is a concern to you, there are things you can, and should, be doing. Voicing your concerns to Congress is a good place to start. Continuing your education to be the best possible nurse you can is another good idea.