Here once again is the great solution to the great nursing shortage of 2005. Once again, a politician steps up to the plate with the standard nonsense of “fixing” the shortage without daring to suggest that the healthcare industry may have something to do with the drought of nurses.

Bleech. It’s enough to make you puke. I can’t believe the press keeps repeating this same sad tale over and over again, with the same late great solutions.

David Toscano announced a list of proposals this morning outside the University of Virginia School of Nursing to add more nurses in the Commonwealth. Virginia ranks 40th when it comes to having enough nurses per capita. Proposals outlined include cutting the waiting lists for prospective nurses, creating a college loan forgiveness program, and creating a nursing center to give advanced education.

“We can’t solve that problem overnight, but if we begin now, we can take concrete steps that will move this Commonwealth forward that will solve the problem,” said David Toscano, Democratic Candidate for the 57th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

In other words, let’s crank up the nurse-production line and mass produce those suckers. Then if we can manage to factory farm enough nurses, surely some of them will stay on the job no matter bad the working conditions are.

And then, the article has the mandatory quote from one of the nursing experts who simply overjoyed that so much “action” is being taken to solve the shortage.

“Actually, I am very excited about it. What we need is a lot of different legislators to truly understand the issues surrounding the nursing shortage, said Teresa Haller, Nursing Manager for the University of Virginia Nursing School.

It doesn’t sound like she has much understanding of the issues, let alone the solutions.

Charlottesville Newsplex.com

Conflicting data is nothing new in scientific research. You know, the same day a study appears telling us that Drug XX is the greatest development since sliced white bread, the next day a study appears saying that Drug XX needs to be pulled from the market because it kills more people than it saves.

Today on Healthblog, they give two examples of conflicting data. So who do you believe?

A government study out today says we as a nation are getting fatter. A reputable private research firm says we aren’t.

A Washington Post analysis shows that cameras installed to catch red-light runners are not decreasing accidents at those intersections, although a systematic evidence review by the esteemed Cochrane Collaboration of cameras in other cities found that they cut accidents by up to 30 percent.

Contradictory studies are the speed bumps on the road to knowledge and a reminder to slow down and smell the data.

Healthblog has the links for the studies they mention. So, are you confused now? Is it possible to really believe anything that appears in the media (other than my blog, of course!).