Nurse Burnout
Oregon nurses are urging state lawmakers to make hospitals better and safer places to work. With the 2023 legislative session just around the corner, the Oregon Nurses Association is calling for changes that will ensure minimum staffing standards based on patient numbers and accountability for hospitals so that there are enough nurses on the floor. Matt Calzia with the nurses’ union says the lack of staffing has real implications for patients. For instance, if a nurse goes on break for lunch, another nurse assumes care of their patients, doubling the other nurse’s workload during that time.
“So when you’ve just had knee surgery and if that period of time falls when you need your next pain medication dose, it may be delayed because right now your nurse actually has eight patients instead of four.”
Calzia says turnover is higher now than during the delta wave of the pandemic because nurses are burnt out. According to O-N-A, turnover was 27 percent in 2021. However, Sean Kolmer with the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems says that under the union’s proposal, “community hospitals will have no choice but to reduce access to services if they are unable to hire enough staff” and that there’s a staffing shortage in the state.
Gas Prices Continue Downward Trend
Gas Prices continue to be on the decline across the country and across Oregon with sharp drops this past week. The price of gas in Oregon dropped $.17 leading up to thanksgiving and continues to be on a decreasing trend. Along the coast we also saw sharp decreases with the average price falling almost 30 cents in just over a week’s time. The Average price for a gallon of regular in Florence is at $4.06 a gallon. Crude oil prices are hovering around the $80 a barrel mark and demand was up for the holiday weekend but that did not seem to negatively effect pricing.
Public Art
The City of Florence only has one meeting schedule for this week and it is the Public Art Committee this afternoon. The next city council meeting will not be until the 12th of December, but the council is meeting with the planning commission on the 5th for a joint work session.
Holiday Festival
Holiday festivities will officially kick off this weekend with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree in Old town on Saturday December 3rd. In conjunction the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce will also present the Florence Annual Holiday Festival. There will be a lighted Car Parade beginning at 4:30 with the arrival of Santa to follow.
