Letters to the Editor | Sept. 30, 2022

Mariel Padilla (“Why the nursing shortage isn’t going away soon,” Sept. 26) spelled out almost every contributing factor. One factor missing was the difficulty in finding clinical placements for nursing students. Even if there was no faculty shortage, it has become increasingly difficult to find high-quality hospital facilities to allow nursing students to learn under the supervision of a faculty member. The Philadelphia area has over two dozen nursing programs vying for a decreasing number of hospital units due to pandemic-related changes in staffing and reduced inpatient hospitalizations. Adequate nursing staffing in the future is dependent on area hospitals and clinics making more sites available for nursing students.

Brent W. Thompson, Lincoln University

Just days ago, officials reported roughly 30 deaths in Syria related to cholera. In the summer of last year, I traveled to Mombasa, Kenya, a cholera hot spot, to shadow physicians abroad. Before I left, I was aware of the oral cholera vaccine as a preventative measure but chose not to get it. I thought my chances of contracting cholera were slim to none, but I was wrong. I got the disease two weeks into my trip. I developed all the typical symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I became so dehydrated that my urine was the color of burnt orange. Contemplating whether to receive IV fluids, I reached out to a physician I was shadowing, and she prescribed me two antibiotics. I took them both for their entire course and fully recovered. Nevertheless, I would’ve never gotten cholera in the first place had I chosen to get the vaccine. If you plan on traveling to a cholera hot spot, I recommend you consider the vaccine.

Saige Boris, master of public health candidate, Thomas Jefferson University

As a home health professional, I was disappointed to see that Medicare has again proposed cuts to home health. The proposal includes a $1.33 billion cut in 2023 alone, and additional cuts of more than $2 billion in 2024 and the years beyond, reaching over $18 billion in the next decade.

Fortunately, bipartisan lawmakers on Capitol Hill are taking action to prevent these devastating cuts from hurting home health patients and their providers by supporting the Preserving Access to Home Health Act.

I have seen firsthand how the clinically advanced, cost-effective care we provide helps the homebound members of our community. I hope our state’s lawmakers will recognize the importance of home health and take action to protect access to care for our most vulnerable neighbors.

Sheila Drummond, Philadelphia

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