June 8, 2023 – Nursing shortages, already an issue pre-COVID, were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the healthcare industry, hospitals, outpatient centers, and clinics have tirelessly sought qualified candidates to fill open nursing positions.
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that more than 275,000 nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030, and that employment opportunities for nurses will grow at 9%, faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.
The pandemic heightened staffing shortages throughout the healthcare industry. Already low on staff, healthcare industry employees worked long hours in stressful, unprecedented conditions.
Nurses, already in a fast-paced and high-demand career field, have faced a variety of new stressors because of the pandemic. Nationally, nurses are navigating increased patient volume, longer hours, critically ill patients with COVID-19, and emotional trauma and distress. Other factors contributing to the shortage include an aging population, an increase in early retirement, high turnover, burnout, exhaustion, and a lack of resources in nursing schools, according to the American Nurses Foundation.
In a study on the shortage from the American Nurses Foundation, 57% of those surveyed nurses said they felt “exhausted” in the past two weeks, and 43% said they felt “burnt out.” Only 23% said they felt “motivated and supported” in the workplace.
Many experienced nurses decided to leave the field during the height of the pandemic due to stress and burnout. Many more are leaving employers for healthcare agency positions, or different careers entirely, with the hope of finding higher pay and less stressful work environments.
National shortages have led to delays in patient treatment, overcrowding of emergency rooms, and decreased patient well-being. Fewer nurses mean fewer staff must care for more patients. “Nursing shortages lead to errors, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. In hospitals with high patient-to-nurse ratios, patients experienced higher mortality and failure-to-rescue rates than facilities with lower patient-to-nurse ratios,” according to The National Library of Medicine.
Nurses are increasingly seeking support and resources within the workplace to cope with the demands of the profession. According to the American Medical Association, thoughtful, deliberate attention is needed “to ensure there are enough nurses available to provide the expert care patients need.”
So, what has been done nationally and state-wide to retain nurses in the healthcare industry?
The national and state response to the nursing shortage focuses primarily on workplace support, legislation, and improving nursing education programs.
Read more in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.