To the editor,
The “River Story” is a common way to describe the importance of planning as well as prevention.
Very succinctly the story goes, people were drowning in the river, but the rescuer could not save them all, so he/she went upstream to determine why they were falling into the river and created a barrier to avoid falling from the riverbank.
The River Story came to mind when I read of the 9 million federally allocated dollars being contracted between the State of Iowa and Favorite Health Care Staffing of Overland Park, KS. While the company website indicates the recruitment salary at $187.50 for overtime, $330 is being paid by the State of Iowa to this company for an overtime hourly wage.
During WWII when nurses were in short supply, the nursing curriculum was accelerated to train and quickly provide additional Registered Nurses. Minimal creativity and adjustments within the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Iowa Board of Nursing could generate additional nursing and respiratory staff. Individuals with expired licenses could quickly be retrained and relicensed. Training of individuals to become respiratory therapists and nurses could be accelerated to care for patients.
The State of Iowa has two university-sponsored nursing colleges, at Iowa and Iowa State University, along with numerous community colleges offering associate degree nursing programs.
The federal funds coming to Iowa and being transferred to the Kansas company could have given these institutions a needed financial boost. Dollars could remain in Iowa for growth for current and future educational purposes.
To travel even further upstream…….. The Reynolds Administration and Republican legislators could encourage/ or demand vaccination and wearing of masks to eradicate this horrid pandemic and return Iowa’s lifestyle and economic status to a more normal state.
Mary Weaver, R.N., M.S.N., Rippey