As the United States continues to face a severe nursing shortage, a shortage that has lasted the longest in decades, hospital administrators and staff are scrambling to find solutions to the problem. However, the tactics currently being employed in the field of nursing may not only jeopardize patient care, but hurt us all in the long run.

We have all heard the phrase 'we live in a global economy.' It is just such an economy that may be the undoing of our health care system.

There is a huge influx of nurses coming into the United States from abroad. At first glance, bringing in people from other countries to fill our nursing positions seems the right and proper decision. However, this is a growing and alarming trend that should be making people in the health care industry uneasy. Indeed all of us in the United States should be taking note of this critical situation.

Nearly one-third of registered nurses employed in the work force in the United States have emigrated from other countries to the United States in recent years. This artificially skews supply and demand. The consequence of this could mean that in the future pay raises for nurses will be less, starting salaries will be lower, and fewer people in the United States will be drawn to the career of nursing.

In time, economics will out: If not appropriately compensated, some nurses will change careers, take early retirement, or find another health-related occupation. When this happens will this country continue to use the short-term strategy and pull more resources from other countries, or will we finally realize that investing in this country's human resources is the very key to correctly addressing our health care needs?

The United States needs to stop robbing Peter to pay Paul. We need to build a strong work force of nurses that will sustain us in our future. We have the best, the brightest, and its time to recognize and reward them.

We judge a society by its willingness to invest in its people and the resources that serve its people. Investing in our nurses by giving them better pay and incentives would signify to our society that nursing is, and continues to be, a promising career. This is our best and only option.