Appalling "solution" to nursing shortage

[Mr. Bloom]

While I will acknowledge that this is a strange approach - as opposed to simply giving them an equivalent pay raise - I am curious to understand why this is so appalling.

They are:

• choosing this from a range of options - would you feel the same way about braces to straighten their teeth?
• doing this with free will
• doing this in consistency with their own cultural attitudes - which we shouldn't be second guessing...
• apparently feel better about themselves because of it, and
• even offering the same options to men, or so it appears

I would love the opportunity to get a hair transplant if it were offered to me as a perq, but it's not something that I'd pay for to feed my own vanity...

Silver is very open about having gotten implants (even over my resistance and objection) after losing 1/3 of her body weight in training. Is that an appalling act when it had the equivalent effect of reconstructive surgery to a breast cancer survivor?

Jolt: I understand that you find this appalling and I respect that fact. But for reasons I've noted, I don't understand and welcome your insight and perspective on why

[lph]

Since I agree with Jolt's reaction I'll butt in and answer too: I find it appalling because it normalizes the idea that cosmetic surgery is something that everybody should want, and have if they could afford it. I am strongly against the idea that it's ok to operate on anything you're not 100 % happy with. I am NOT moralizing against everybody who has cosmetic surgery, as there are plenty of good reasons to do so, but I think the focus on physical beauty is way too high in the first place, and surgery is not something to be offered as a simple perk. I would be happier if they offered beauty or spa treatments at a local salon, and even happier if the perk was membership at a local gym.

We - both women and men - do not need more people telling us, however indirectly, that we should look better on the outside. Especially not employers implying that their female employees should be sexier.

[Jolt]

While I will acknowledge that this is a strange approach - as opposed to simply giving them an equivalent pay raise - I am curious to understand why this is so appalling.

They are:

• choosing this from a range of options - would you feel the same way about braces to straighten their teeth?
• doing this with free will
• doing this in consistency with their own cultural attitudes - which we shouldn't be second guessing...
• apparently feel better about themselves because of it, and
• even offering the same options to men, or so it appears

I would love the opportunity to get a hair transplant if it were offered to me as a perq, but it's not something that I'd pay for to feed my own vanity...

Silver is very open about having gotten implants (even over my resistance and objection) after losing 1/3 of her body weight in training. Is that an appalling act when it had the equivalent effect of reconstructive surgery to a breast cancer survivor?

Jolt: I understand that you find this appalling and I respect that fact. But for reasons I've noted, I don't understand and welcome your insight and perspective on why

Basically my reaction was because, as lph said, there should not be such an emphasis on appearance/pressure to look a certain way. Especially if it would require surgery that is not needed and has risks like any other surgery. I don't feel this should be encouraged (for either gender), which is exactly what these "perks" are doing. Re: your comparison to braces to straighten the teeth, I feel that is a little different because in the case of braces there is a health issue (it's harder to thoroughly clean teeth that are crooked/crowded together) in addition to the cosmetic issue. Sort of analogous to reconstructive as opposed to cosmetic plastic surgery. The part of the article that mentioned appearance as being placed on the same level of importance as clinical skills, and the one nurse's experience of being asked to walk "as if on a catwalk" in a job interview(!), really disturbed me. What does that have to do with providing high-quality care?? That just seems wrong to me (looking at it from my cultural point of view in the US) on so many levels. Nurses should appear well-groomed and professional, but beyond that there should not be standards for how a nurse looks. Also, there are SO many healthier and more practical perks that could be given, like public transportation passes, discounts on housing near the hospital/clinic, food/gas gift cards, gym memberships (which can help a person look better in addition to the health benefits), free massages, or just plain raising the overall salaries.