Everything You Need to Know About the Nurses Shortage

From 30,000 feet, the view of the looming nursing shortage is grim. Modern Healthcare predicts:

  • Not enough nurses are joining the field.
  • This will create significant shortages through 2025.
  • The rapidly aging baby boomer population will require more skilled nursing care.
  • Rural communities will be hit the hardest.
  • All hospitals will feel additional operational costs as hospitals struggle to compete over the dwindling talent pool.

But HealthLeaders Media says, while there are clearly shortages on the horizon, it is not all doom and gloom. They suggest that different nursing specialties and different geographic locations will have differing needs for skilled nursing candidates.

Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead of the curve.

The Realities of the Current Nursing Shortage

HealthLeaders Media paints a disturbing picture of our nursing shortages. But they also suggest “It’s complicated.”

That’s because the reality is not all geographic territories will experience the same level of shortage. For example, rural areas will be more severely impacted their urban counterparts. They suggest some of the biggest shortages will be felt in California, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas.

But the clinical specialty may also impact the perception and reality of the shortage. For example, home health nurses will be highly in demand because value-based reimbursement is shifting from patient hospital admissions to focusing on keeping patients at home longer as a cost-cutting measure. BSN-nurses will be one area where demand will outpace supply, as assisted living, senior housing, and retirement communities, in addition to home care, will be greatly needed.

There will also be more demand for behavioral health providers, including nurses and nurse practitioners. The opioid addiction crisis will require more nurses trained in these specialty areas in order to respond to the crisis.

Ironically, HealthLeaders Media suggests there will be an unexpected side effect of the complex nature of the nursing shortage. New recruiting efforts must attempt to bring in a new and more diverse population of nursing students. In the past, the professional has struggled to bring in men and racial diversity has been spotty. Generally, nurses today are overwhelmingly white and female. Could the nursing shortage end up bringing in a more diverse candidate pool to learn the trade?

Finally, the nursing shortage will also affect the population of nursing teachers in our nation’s educational system. Many nurse-training programs have an older teaching staff that will also consider retirement in the next few years.

Nursing Shortage Requires New Partnerships

Healthcare organizations must find new ways to counteract the nursing shortages wherever they are felt. Patient care outcomes can be compromised and quality scores lessen if nursing teams are stretched too thin and your in-house recruiting and HR teams simply cannot cultivate new talent.

It is under the pressure of these market realities that healthcare organizations must forge new partnerships with experienced talent acquisition specialists like National Recruiters. We have an unparalleled record of finding top talent in the tightest markets. In 2019, more healthcare organizations have turned to our team than ever before – and we’re working hard to deliver exactly what we promise. Contact our leading healthcare recruiters today!


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