IS THE NURSING SHORTAGE AS SERIOUS AS IT ONCE WAS?

The shortage of nurses in hospitals and other healthcare facilities has affected care across the country these past couple of years. But, is it as bad as it was during the thick of the pandemic, or have things gotten better?

According to Deborah Burger, president of National Nurses United, the largest nursing union in the country, “there are enough licensed nurses in this country to be able to provide care.” She explains that “this is a good time to be a nurse, even though there is the pandemic, we have a lot of leverage to make sure that our patients get the care that they need.” Yet there still seems to be a shortage?

These are some insights from Burger and others about staffing and why the shortage continues:

• “We’ve had a shortage of nurses before the pandemic. We’ve had a shortage of nurses during the pandemic.” It continues to be a problem.
• Staffing is a key issue for nurses because “it affects their ability to provide care in a safe manner and to be able to assess the patient’s changing conditions in the hospital, which can affect the outcome of a patient in the hospital.”
• Staff nurses really appreciate the help of temporary nurses, and more of these nurses should be hired at the facilities.
• Nurses have said “what will keep them happy, and what will keep them productive, and what will keep them at a facility, is true appreciation for the work they do by supplying an environment where they can safely practice nursing during this pandemic .”
• The need for nurses is also expected to worsen with the ongoing retirement of baby boomers.
• Right now, there is an adequate supply of PPE to protect nurses from emerging strains of COVID-19.

According to Gabe Wohl, a nursing student, “one thing the nursing shortage has exposed is that there’s a lot of opportunity, and that’s something that I think a lot of people should jump towards.”

Nursing leaders emphasized a need to prepare for such shortages by investing in programs and solutions now, including bringing on more temporary staff to fill the gaps.

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Using a staffing agency, such as JVH Surgical Associates will help you meet any problems with employee deficits in your healthcare facility.

Our company is committed to helping medical professionals grow in their respective careers. We value our people and the relationships we have with them. If you need help in finding skilled OR nurses, perioperative nurses, or other surgical staff, you can count on us. Schedule a consultation today to get started. We look forward to working with you.