HR Pulse - Winter 2008 - (Page 52)

>> IMMIGRATION FRUSTRATION for an available position. During the 1990s, there were more than sufﬁcient numbers of immigrant visas available each year to allow for the demand for nurses and other health care workers to be met without hitting the annual limitations. When annual limitations began to be reached in 2003, Congress quickly enacted a stop gap measure to allow hospitals to continue to use the Schedule A procedure as a way to bring nurses to the United States within a relatively efﬁcient time frame (normally within nine to 15 months). In 2006, however, supplemental visa quotas for nurses and physical therapists ran out, and Congress did not enact a replacement. At present, though the American Hospital Association and other health care providers are lobbying for continuation of a special quota for nurses and other needed health care workers, the issue has become bogged down in Congress. Visas for nurses have been held up by the debate over comprehensive immigration reform and whether or not a path to legal residence will be provided for the 9 to 12 million unauthorized migrants estimated to currently live in the United States. A Path Forward? No particular economic or policy decision is driving the current limitations on immigration of nurses and other professional health care workers. However, a combination of neglect and inertia allowed the provisions for nurse-based immigration to remain as they essentially were in the early 1990s, and in the current environment, Congress is unwilling to consider any immigration measure outside of the framework of a comprehensive immigration reform. Since comprehensive immigration reform includes skilled worker immigration in addition to enforcement and other measures, it should reopen the immigrant option for nurses. Given the conversations about comprehensive immigration reform during the presidential election, health care institutions can be hopeful that a legislative vehicle will begin to move sometime in the next Congress. Among other issues, it should address the current problems with hiring nurses and health care workers from abroad as a supplement to hospitals’ other efforts to increase their work forces to deal with the increased health care needs of the baby boomer generation. ■ William A. Stock (Bill) is one of the country’s leading immigration lawyers. A founding member of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP, he has practiced immigration law exclusively since 1993. His clients run the gamut from multinational corporations, universities, health care institutions and their employees to private individuals. He can be reached at wstock@klaskolaw. com or 215-825-8600. 52 HR Pulse Winter 2008 Let us Guide you to Better Nurse Recruitment A Leader in Voluntary Benefits and Benefit Communications Since 1980 Serving hundreds of healthcare facilities and ASHHRA members nationwide An Authorized Representative of the AHA Endorsed Voluntary Benefits Program Comprehensive voluntary benefits portfolio: Life, Disability, Critical Illness, Long Term Care and more Complete voluntary benefit administration, including billing reconciliation, on a single platform Electronic core and voluntary benefits enrollment and communication RSI OnSite Nurse Recruitment Our most powerful program. RSI OnSite helps you recruit an experienced nursing workforce, while giving you the tools and the know-how you need to maintain it. RSI OnSite Strategic Recruitment Optimization Our initial discovery recruitment process assessment. This is the first phase of the RSI OnSite Nurse Recruitment process, but it allows you to implement our recommendations with your own staff and resources. Call us or visit our website to learn more. 800-787-9669 • www.rsionsite.com 386542_Recuitment.indd 1 7/3/08 4:25:13 PM 377099_farmington.indd 1 1-800-621-0067 www.farmingtonco.com 4/3/08 7:36:01 PM http://www.rsirecruit.com http://www.farmingtonco.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Winter 2008

HR Pulse - Winter 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Karmen Reid Advocacy is for Everyone A Case Study in Raising Voices Diversity Management Measuring What Matters Bullying as Gender Harassment Combat Workforce Changes Hardwiring Accountability Immigration Frustration HR and Education Making Exit Interviews Count Management Styles that Enhance Intrinsic Motivation Backup Care Fact or Fiction 10 Ways to Lose Your Best People Advertisers’ Index

HR Pulse - Winter 2008

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