The country’s four million plus registered nurses are vital in closing health disparities, evolving healthcare systems regionally and nationally, providing care, and improving the nation’s health. Addressing complex issues is required to fully realize the strength and promise of nurses and the nursing profession. Nursing shortages occurred on and off prior to the COVID-19 pandemic due to factors such as economic downturns, increased healthcare demand, and increased numbers of retiring nurses. This post will look at these factors in greater detail and how we can help fill these critical roles.
The BLS predicts that the job outlook for registered nurses will be 9% through 2030. This equates to approximately 194,500 job openings per year. California is expected to have the most severe registered nurse shortage (45,500), while Alaska will have the most job openings (22.7%). Texas, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, and South Dakota are also expected to face shortages. Florida, Ohio, Virginia, and New York will have the most extra nurses (53,700). Wyoming will have the most significant RN oversupply (50.9%), followed by New Mexico and Ohio.
Some types of healthcare industries employ more registered nurses than others. For example, according to BLS data, general medical and surgical hospitals employ the most RNs. RNs at these facilities make up 31% of the workforce in this industry. A variety of factors contribute to the nursing shortage. Learning more about these factors can help you understand why there is a shortage and what you can do about it.
Why are there shortages?
Staff shortages are common in the healthcare sector and affect all disciplines. There are too few nurses, midwives, general practitioners, hospital doctors, and mental health workers in the system. Staff are leaving the service due to low pay, job-related stress, and low job satisfaction, while recruitment and retention remain a problem. Let’s drill down into the issue further to understand better the hurdles we must overcome to eliminate this shortage.
Medical advancements
The global demand for health care, and thus for registered nurses, is increasing. This is driven by rising prosperity, which raises expectations of longer life and better health care, as well as advances in public health, medical, pharmacological, and healthcare science, which generate new therapeutic, medical, and surgical treatments. These ‘commodities’ did not exist previously but are now, understandably, desired by people who want the best for their families and themselves. Demand rises due to rising expectations fueled by scientific advancement and socioeconomic progress.
Life expectancy
Overall, the population is getting older as the baby boomer generation enters an era of greater need for healthcare services. The US now has more Americans over 65 than ever before. The last of this generation will reach retirement age come 2030, which will result in a significant increase in Americans 65 and older, from 40 million to 70 million. As the population ages, the demand for healthcare services increases. In reality, most older people have more ailments that necessitate treatment and put further stress on the healthcare system.
Training
Throughout America, nursing schools are battling to graduate a high number of registered nurses to meet the ever-increasing healthcare demands. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is working closely with policymakers, professional nursing organizations, and schools to meet these demanding requirements. According to the AACN, one major contributor to the lack of registered nurses is a lack of classroom space, clinical sites, and nursing instructors for aspiring students. It’s also worth highlighting that nursing instructors in teaching roles earn significantly less money, and this adds to the problem.
Retiring workforce
According to an American Association of Colleges of Nursing report, the country will face a growing shortage of registered nurses between now and 2030. Although the economic downturn has caused some nurses’ retirement plans to be postponed, analysts believe that such trends are only temporary. A nursing shortage twice as severe as any seen in the United States since the mid-1960s is expected by 2025. According to experts, the rapidly aging nursing workforce is a significant contributor.
Stress
Hospitals are arguably experiencing the worst staffing shortages since Covid-19 came about, as fatigued nurses continue to leave their positions. Many are going to pursue higher-paying nursing roles or retire early. According to a new study, more than one-third (34%) of nurses polled said they would most likely quit their jobs by the end of 2022 owing to burnout and a high-stress working environment. Only some people are leaving nursing; 40% intend to continue working in the field. However, nearly 32% of nurses plan to retire or leave the profession entirely.
Worldwide support
The American healthcare systems rely heavily on domestic travel nurses and nurses migrating from other – often low-income – countries to meet urgent care needs. According to The Migration Policy Institute, nearly one-fifth of the 14 million healthcare workers in 2018 were foreign-born. The Philippines accounts for the vast majority of foreign-born nurses working in the United States, and the number of health-care-related visa applications increased by more than 50% between 2020 and 2021. The healthcare system, however, has been unable to use this protocol to increase the nursing workforce due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.
How does this impact patient outcomes?
Patient outcomes are the outcomes of treatments that patients receive in the hospital. They are examined in three key areas: patient functional status maintenance, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. Employee satisfaction is critical to having healthier patients. To achieve positive patient outcomes, strategies for staff retention and well-being must be in place. With the healthcare industry shifting toward person-centered care, a positive patient experience is critical to maintaining best practices. A strong emphasis on creating an effective and supportive environment is essential in retaining staff and ensuring the satisfaction of both nurses and patients.
A shortage of nurses has an unavoidable negative impact on the quality of patient care. First, there is a direct relationship between patient mortality and nurse shortages. For example, a one-full-time RN increase per 1,000 inpatient days contributes to a 4.3 percent decrease in patient mortality. On the other hand, hospitals with fewer nurses saw a 2-7 percent increase in mortality. Second, one of the primary causes of emergency room overcrowding is a shortage of nurses. Overcrowding has been reported in 92% of all emergency departments, which can result in increased hospitalization time, the need for additional procedures, permanent disability, or even death.
Healthcare workers spend a lot of time with their patients one-on-one. Their patients rely on them to perform at the highest level and to provide safe patient care. Some are more concerned about patient safety and potential medical errors than good patient care. The increased intensity of a nurse’s workload has an impact on these. The amount of work assigned to nurses puts them at risk of making medical mistakes while caring for their patients. Because of hospitals’ low staffing ratios, nurses are asked to care for more patients. There is also the possibility of interruptions in patient care, which could lead to errors in patient safety.
How do we fix the problem?
What steps are being taken? We spoke with some industry experts about the strategies they use to prioritize nurse retention and how other nurse leaders can help. There are some tried-and-true strategies for increasing nurse retention. Among these strategies are:
Listening to concerns
The first step in increasing nurse retention is to address the nursing shortage by simply listening to nurses’ concerns. Nurses want to believe that their loyalty to a system is valued rather than that it is being used against them. Hospitals have recently hired travel nurses to cover staffing gaps caused by COVID-19. Long-term nurses continue to see their facilities offer sign-on bonuses, three times the pay, and schedule flexibility. Meanwhile, long-term nurses know that their compensation systems do not provide these benefits. Most nurses must submit vacation requests six months in advance, which are frequently denied.
Scheduling flexibility
This allows nurses to balance their hectic work schedule with family life and educational opportunities and decompress between stressful, emotionally draining shifts. In addition, keeping nurses happy with scheduling creates a more positive work environment and helps the hospital retain quality nurses.
Growing a community
Research and studies have shown a sense of community can help to reduce staff turnover among nurses. Many nurses who believe they have a sense of community are reporting greater levels of job satisfaction. When organizations hire new employees, making them feel welcome with an onboarding program can aid employee retention. In addition, a good onboarding system can help new nurses feel less overwhelmed when they begin their new position. An excellent example of this is to ensure that newly qualified nurses are not initially assigned to problematic patients. Instead, consider how you can help new nurses integrate with current nurses to foster a sense of togetherness.
Increase support staff
Nurses must frequently navigate time-consuming processes to keep the telehealth machine running. These administrative tasks exhaust and irritate nurses, who would much rather focus solely on patient care. Recruiting and retaining registered nurses is easier for organizations that view them as professionals. Respect and value are demonstrated by role expectations that allow RNs to practice at the pinnacle of their licensure. Unappealing tasks should be delegated to unlicensed support personnel, and the value of teamwork should be emphasized. Most organizations understand the importance of providing robust support technology and personnel to their lawyers, doctors, and other highly skilled workers. The same mindset should be applied to nurses.
Better education
While recruitment and retention are essential, continuing education improvements will help decrease high turnover rates and aid nurses in feeling engaged, prepared, and supported to provide the best care possible. New nurses require innovative onboarding programs that are engaging and that focus on precisely what students are required to know rather than hours of pointless material that they may already know. For example, nurse educators leading a nursing program in Illinois spend more time with recently registered nurses as these programs are standardized and consistent. In addition, face-to-face time with nursing professionals can be crucial because it builds connections within the workforce, which makes nurses feel valued, engaged, and prepared to carry out their duties to the best of their abilities.
Increased investment
On average, replacing a registered nurse costs around $65,000 in addition to the previous nurse’s salary. It’s not just about being able to provide high-quality care; the nursing shortage has financial ramifications. According to recent research, even a 1% increase in annual nursing turnover can result in a $300,000 loss for a healthcare organization. More money should be spent on nursing school, technology to alleviate the burden on nurses, and clearly defined career paths so that nurses believe they can advance in their careers without leaving the industry. Making nurses feel wanted and valued through the implementation of appropriate policies can have a positive impact on healthcare workers and staffing.
Your country needs you
As can be seen, the United States nursing shortage has resulted in high demand for nurses across the country. While some of this shortage’s statistics and challenges may appear daunting, there is a silver lining: America clearly requires qualified nurses. If a nursing career interests you, you could play an essential role in helping to fill the nursing shortage.
Nursing offers a promising career path, opportunities for continuous growth, and personal and professional fulfillment. Nursing is an excellent career if you want to impact the world while making a good living. Registered Nurses are among the country’s top ten best healthcare careers, according to the most recent US News Job Rankings. Even more notably, they are ranked 13th out of the top 100 jobs available across all industries. Compensation, employment opportunities, and job satisfaction are considered when ranking the top careers.
The high demand for registered nurses, as well as the advanced levels of training and education required, are reflected in their pay. You may choose to be a nurse for reasons other than money, but with a national average median salary of $75,330, registered nursing is an appealing career if money is a consideration. Students must complete an accredited program to become registered nurses. Associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and nursing diplomas are among the options. A two-year associate degree in nursing is typical, though accelerated programs can make qualifying much quicker. A bachelor’s degree in nursing typically takes four years to complete or two years for those enrolled in an associate-to-RN bachelor’s program.
After you’ve been adequately educated and licensed, the only thing left is to find work. As previously stated, nursing is a rapidly growing field. Location and specialty areas of nursing can have a significant impact on job opportunities. Long-term care facilities, for example, are expected to grow in popularity as the population ages. As a result, the demand for registered nurses in long-term care facilities will continue to rise.
Furthermore, places with established medical communities are more likely to have exciting new opportunities. For example, consider New York and Philadelphia. Both cities and surrounding suburbs have excellent hospitals.
Completing clinical hours is another essential part of preparing to be a nurse. These real-world learning experiences, which can be completed in a hospital, physician’s office, nursing home, or other care facilities, are typically completed near the end of your degree program. The number of clinical hours required varies by program. Similarly, while some states require a certain number of clinical hours to qualify for nurse licensure, others do not.
Any healthcare career is inherently tricky. In your role as a nurse, you may be required to deal with stressful or messy situations. However, as many nurses will tell you, the benefits of being a nurse outweigh the drawbacks. Nurses have the unique ability to assist people during some of their most vulnerable times – and they can do so while earning a comfortable living with job security.
Finally, being a nurse is about changing someone’s experience with health care when they are most vulnerable and scared, not just healing them or reassuring their families. You are actively helping people and improving their lives during difficult times.
