When Will the Nursing Shortage Be Over?

[Nursing CE Central]

Written by Morgan Curry, BSN, RN for Nursing CE Central

It feels like the nursing shortage has been around for a while, and COVID-19 has only exacerbated the issue. 

Now that we have made it through what is arguably one of the most difficult seasons in our entire nursing careers, we are feeling the impacts of the nursing shortage now more than ever.  

So, the question is, ‘when will the nursing shortage be over?’ 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment of RNs from 2019 to 2029 is projected to increase faster than any other occupation at 7%; the national average for all occupations is about 4%. 

Healthcare systems globally have been strained by the influx of patients, lack of resources, and extreme working conditions; but there is one major outlier that we cannot prevent. 

Time. No matter what we say, do, or believe, there is nothing that can stop it.

Our nursing population is aging, and more nurses are beginning to retire each year; although this is a significant problem to the industry, there are many more factors that come into play that we must address. 

In order to fully understand why the nursing shortage is increasing, let’s break this down some of the most prominent contributing factors.  

Why the Nursing Shortage is Continuing to Worsen 

• Large Aging Populations and Workforce 

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing outlines that the average age for an RN is 50 years, which poses significant risks for the next several years. As the Baby Boomer and Generation X populations begin to retire from the workforce and potentially present health complications that require care, the nursing industry may be hit with more than they can handle. 

• Burnout 

A 2018 JAMA Network Open cross-sectional survey determined that out 50,000 nurses, 31.5% of respondents reported leaving the profession due to burnout.  

A recent Nurse Burnout study from Nursing CE Central identified that out of over a thousand nurses, 95% of respondents claimed to be burnt-out, while 47.9% are actively searching for a less stressful position.

• Turnover 

In the 2020 Nursing Solutions Inc. Health Care Retention Report, nurses have the highest turnover rates of all the allied healthcare professions; and it is continuing to rise. For example, the percentage of national RN turnover in 2019 was 15.9%, and 18.7% in 2020. 

When Will the Nursing Shortage Be Over? 

Rather than improving, the nursing shortage is only growing, so, unfortunately, there is no right or wrong answer to this well-deserved question.  

With increased pressures of the nursing shortage, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction, nurses will only continue to leave the profession.  

So, what can be done about this issue? 

Through the pandemic, hospital institutions along with other employers have been incorporating hazard pay as well as retention and sign-on bonuses to serve as monetary incentives. Of course, all of these are not bad options; however, money can only go so far, and it is only a piece to the entire job satisfaction puzzle. 

Nurses want to feel appreciated and respected; work environment, safety, and work-life balance are major factors that contribute to their job satisfaction.  

Nursing burnout should be addressed as the leading cause of turnover first and foremost. When this national crisis is addressed by employers and hospital institutions, only then will the shortage begin to improve.  

When managers and institutional executives address the root cause of the problem by taking the time to investigate shortcomings, it will allow them to strengthen their team, increase retention, and decrease burnout.  

Nurses, remember why you entered the nursing profession in the first place.  

Your compassion, strength, and grit for the field are unmatched and appreciated more than you know; do not lose sight of this. I know the past year has been extremely difficult for you but try your best to persevere. 

Keep your patients and your nursing philosophy at the root of your care and practice.

[Melilem]

I’m certain that the shortage was caused by all those sweet private nurse jobs at every company- sit on your butt and take temps as employees come in, as well as all the vaccine clinics that popped up. Fun, fun ? I did very well with travel nursing because of the shortage. Now, the good travel jobs have dried up. I think it’s about over.

[Guest1176712]

20 hours ago, Leonardo Del Toro said:

I think we still a long way from having nurses being hired again like it used to be before 2008. Only if there is a total collapse of the system needing a gov. intervention or take over in some way or another. As long as health care has a car factory production values, the money is what rules. Keep nurses out since they are a big part of hospital expenses. Every nurse not hired is money in the pocket. There is no nursing shortage.

OK, I see that happening now across the board for many things in our society. But let's document our support for these ratios. It only takes a minute to fill out to use your voice. We ARE powerful in numbers but feel so isolated from that power. Our signature will get us closer. We gotta keep fighting. It will happen. Keep Pushing. 

[Guest1176712]

16 hours ago, Kooky Korky said:

You will likely be fired.  The employer will use travelers if they can get them.  And there seems to always be plenty of scabs willing to step in and take our jobs. 

Normally I think that strikes and unions are essential to get better treatment for nurses.  Right now, during the pandemic, I pause and am hesitant to cheer too loudly for striking.

The main issue, IMO, is that most nurses are not willing to ever speak up to management about what changes they need.   They always want someone else to do that.

Actually, NOW is the time. As media shows more of what nurses and doctors are going through, we can sign https://www.nursestakedc.com/legislative-information and show the valid connection. It only takes a minute to sign. What healtcare is going through is on the TV and other places like Twitter. Everyone has to start ***ing to get heard. Also, your family and friends can sign this so that they can get better healthcare through our efforts.  FEEL YOUR POWER!

[Doris Carroll, BSN]

Nurse here 37+yrs. I have seen the degradation of our profession. We must stop the discussion and instead take action.  We know it’s not burnout but instead moral injury. We know it’s not the shortage but a refusal to hire and a refusal to work in these dangerous conditions. It’s not short staffing but dangerous staffing. Like driving drunk , you may not kill someone today but the risk is there each time you work in unsafe conditions. 
 

Please educate, organize then agitate your colleagues. I cannot say it any louder. I grow weary as each year the discussion continues. You have a choice—get out of nursing or continue. If you stay then COMMIT TO MAKE CHANGE. 

After coordinating annual NursesTakeDC Conference/Lobby Day/Rallies since 2016, the lack of interest is quite staggering. This is your moment. We are still living in a pandemic. It will wax and wane. Get your a$$ up and going NOW. 
 

Educate yourself by knowing the peer reviewed evidence based research for staffing with ratios. Go to www.NursesTakeDC.com to find it. Or search/review Dr Linda Aiken’s staffing research. Educate yourself on understanding that your professional organization, the ANA, the AONE/AONL are NOT your friend. They are against ratios and have abandoned you at the bedside, clinics, LTC. 
 

Educate yourself that the AHA will ACTIVELY fight back (with the ANA) to destroy any attempt to pass ratio legislation at the state and federal level. They believe staffing committees are the GOLD STANDARD. There is NO research supporting staffing committees, except for one study based in Illinois, which reviewed  CNO responses. IL —where I’m from— has had staffing committees and acuity law since 2007. It doesn’t work. No surprise. Yet the ANA and state chapters continue to push it. Anything to avoid ratio legislation. In fact, my assistant CNO said exactly that during 2017 negotiations. 

Yes—my hospital has a union, the Illinois Nurses Association for over 4 decades. I was the Chief Steward for 5 years. I also was the President at the state level. I firmly believe nurses need to organize in order to have safer work place protections. Please consider it.

But you can still organize yourselves to collectively take action by contacting your Congressional legislators. You might say you’re not political, you dislike unions and politics. Get over it. This is how change will happen. You tell your legislators a personal story of a very difficult shift. By email and by phone. You MUST call them. How can our voices be heard if you do nothing but respond on social media? Here is the link to send email to have your legislators co-sponsor HR 3165, https://actionnetwork.org/letters/support-hr-3165-s-1567-nurse-staffing-standards-for-hospital-patient-safety-and-quality-care-act-of-2021?source=direct_link&

Remember it’s not one email, one phone call but many to get your voice heard.

Here is the bill, similar to California legislation, includes ratios for RNs and LPNs. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1567/text?r=36&s=1

And now, get yourselves fighting to make this change happen! Here’s some fighting music and info on NursesTakeDC. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdCLuPKh/

I just retired to FL to care for my 87yo mother. I miss the fight. But I’m in FL so I’m happy to take up the battle here now instead! 

[Guest1176712]

YASSS! Thank you Doris! it's an honor to meet you and I'm grateful that you posted. Let's kick up some dust! NursesTakeFlorida.com is down there fighting for FL and their TakeAction page has Federal links as well. Nurses, If there's a petition out there sign it. Make calls. It's time to make noise. 

[Doris Carroll, BSN]

45 minutes ago, AtomicNurse said:

YASSS! Thank you Doris! it's an honor to meet you and I'm grateful that you posted. Let's kick up some dust! NursesTakeFlorida.com is down there fighting for FL and their TakeAction page has Federal links as well. Nurses, If there's a petition out there sign it. Make calls. It's time to make noise. 

Thanks much AtomicNurse! I know Julie from FL who, with Cathy Stokes from MA—both of us NTDC cofounders— created NursesTakeFlorida and had a rally a few yrs back. I’m ready. ?? What I want to know—who else is with us?

[Guest1176712]

Yes! Thats awesome! I link back to NTDC alot. I'm hoping to see more activity here. There are alot on Twitter and there's Last Pizza Party on FB. Julie (Nursestakeflorida.com) is on FB too with a very strong following. I don't know if AN is on Twitter? Kathryn Ivey is on Twitter. She was on CNN last night. Wherever I am, I'm pushing the petitions and the calls. We need to get this done this Congressional cycle! I didn't know how many felt like I did. It's very comforting and encouraging. 

[Guest1176712]

I always repost MA St. Vicent and all the striking nurses out there. I know Tenet St. Vincent Nurses have been out there for a while. I contributed to the amazon.com request for diapers, baby food, and gift cards before they finally got unemployment benefits in light that Tenet profited in billions in 2020 https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/tenet-reports-97m-profit-in-q1.html#:~:text=Net operating revenue for Tenet's,on a same-hospital basis. ooooo... I'm starting to feel atomic again. ?

[Guest1176712]

AN IS on Twitter! ?

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

I firmly believe there is no shortage of nurses. There is however a shortage of nurses, particularly experienced nurses that are willing to put up with crap this business is throwing at them.

Increased responsibilities without any increase in compensation. Increasingly rude and/or hostile patients and families that are treated like they are in a high end hotel instead of a hospital.  Stagnant wages for years with no relief in sight. Heck even restaurants, fast food places and convenience stores started raising wages when staff started saying nope, not putting up with it anymore. Health care which is still one of the biggest profit generators in the nation hasn't done the same.  Nurses are just plain darn tired of working for subpar pay  under lousy conditions while upper management and executives rake in huge salaries and bonuses. 

[Peachpit]

When the hospitals and companies stop placing profit above all else. Until then, they will continue to complain about the lack of nurses while thousands of nurses are unable to get jobs.

[Wuzzie]

2 hours ago, kbrn2002 said:

I firmly believe there is no shortage of nurses. There is however a shortage of nurses, particularly experienced nurses that are willing to put up with crap this business is throwing at them.

The nursing "shortage" is two-fold. ^This and hospitals that post positions they have no intention to fill to make it look like they are trying but there aren't enough nurses. That way the public sees the hospitals as victims of a shortage that doesn't really exist.