Dark storm clouds are brewing as COVID-19 threatens to overwhelm an already stretched nursing workforce. Read on to learn what some hospital executives are doing to meet staffing challenges head on.
NursesCOVIDArticle
Things have changed since the early days of the pandemic when elective surgeries were at a standstill. Nurses accepted travel assignments to COVID “hotspots” to compensate for cancelled shifts, furloughs and layoffs. Other nurses eagerly stepped up to work outside of their own state to fight on the frontlines in a harder hit area of the country.
Now, hospitals across the country are feeling the strain caused by the fall’s virus resurgence. The number of available hospital beds are shrinking and higher numbers of healthcare workers are getting sick. This time around, the virus is more widespread and there simply isn’t enough travel nurses to fill the gaps of a nationwide staffing crisis. Now, more than ever, healthcare leaders are being creative with new strategies for supporting healthcare workers on the front lines.
A Public Plea
A staffing “perfect storm” is brewing as COVID-19 patients flood hospitals across the U.S. The UW Health System in Wisconsin responded to the urgent situation by publishing a 2-page open letter in the Wisconsin State Journal. The ad asked residents to join healthcare workers in preventing further virus spread within their community.
Quote
“Wisconsin is in a bad place right now with no sign of things getting better without action. We are, quite simply, out of time. Without immediate change, our hospitals will be too full to treat all of those with the virus and those with other illnesses or injuries. Soon you or someone you love may need us, but we won’t be able to provide the life-saving care you need, whether for COVID-19, cancer, heart disease or other urgent conditions. As health care providers, we are terrified of that becoming reality.”
All of UW Health’s faculty, staff and colleagues from around the state signed the letter, making a powerful statement.
I recently read an interesting article in Becker’s Hospital Review, Strategies for COVID-19 Staffing Shortages from 8 Hospital Execs, that shared strategies used by 8 hospital executives to staff adequately during the pandemic. Here is a look at a few strategies used by executives in the article and other healthcare leaders.
Increase the use of part-time and per diem staff for additional shifts.
I know... you’re thinking “what part-time and per diem staff”? This strategy may require hiring additional part-time staff and being creative with their work hours. Perhaps a nurse is willing to work 6 hours during the shift’s busiest time.
Deploy nurses who work away from the bedside to join frontline nurses in supportive roles such as vital signs, treatments, medication passes, admissions and discharges.
Sharing resources within healthcare systems to prevent a single facility from becoming overwhelmed.
Offering incentives to nurses at another affiliated facility interested in signing up for extra shifts at another struggling facility. In some cases, short-term contracts are offered to per diem nurses to fill a vacant full-time position.
Identifying any duties of frontline nurses that could be performed by another person. For example:
Assigning a phlebotomist to the ER or ICU to help with blood collection.
Cross-training surgical and cath lab nurses to transfer and discharge patients to conserve beds in ICUs and intermediate care units.
Adding a unit secretary position to nightshift
Adding a “site manager” to COVID units to act as a runner for the care team. The site manager can get supplies or perform other tasks that decrease the number of times the nurse (or other healthcare worker) has to leave the COVID patient’s room. This will down the amount of time spent donning and doffing PPE.
Using telehealth when physicians and other providers are quarantined and unable to provide in-person care safely.
Reduce the risk of staff contracting or transmitting the virus. Implementing infection control teams to change the work culture by encouraging staff and faculty to speak up when they see safety issues. Send the message “everyone has a right to contribute to a safe work environment”.
Moving PPE to facilities that need it the most.
Enlisting the primary care and family physicians to help by working in an affiliated or local hospital.
Many nurses hold supportive positions in departments throughout the hospital, such as information technology, quality management, and education and case management. Assigning these nurses times to work at the bedside can ease the workload for other staff. I’m almost certain you’ll hear a few “I haven’t taken care of patients in years” and “I’m not comfortable with my bedside skills”. But, it only takes basic nursing skills to change a simple dressing, follow-up on pain levels, call in consults and other time-consuming tasks.
We Want to Know
Are you part of an innovative plan or strategy to address staffing shortages? If so, we would love to hear your story. Tell us about the creative solutions and initiatives in your community.
