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.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

As a Acute Psych Nurse I would love to have just 4 patients to care for. Calif staffing ratios don't extend to free standing acute psych facilities. 

[Peachpit]

1 hour ago, hppygr8ful said:

as a Acute Psych Nurse I would love to have just 4 patients to care for. Calif staffing ratios don't extend to free standing acute psych facilities. 

Georgia doesn't have staffing/patient ratios. We need them.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

9 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

as a Acute Psych Nurse I would love to have just 4 patients to care for. Calif staffing ratios don't extend to free standing acute psych facilities. 

I've worked both forensic and general acute psych. Honestly, with ratios like that I'd die of boredom...?

[STelevation]

On 7/29/2021 at 9:59 PM, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

 

Why don't the CEO's and companies making billions in money off of people's illnesses, misery, and death get preached to about being "compassionate". Why don't they get told they need to have a "calling" to do what they do?

Well said!! Healthcare is a racket for the rich!! You’ll never see any compassion from that club of administrators with their fancy business degrees and dry cleaned suits; the ones who spend 15 mins each day arrogantly strutting the floors, offering fake smiles and platitudes; who then retire to their plush offices and conference rooms to spend the remainder of the day having meetings and luncheons where they brainstorm new ways to disguise/siphon profits, and create clever talking points, so that old familiar adage of “do more with less” is more digestible by the peons beneath them. These people do NOTHING for the patient, and their existence and scheming has burdened resources, and directly created the crisis conditions that nurses deal with daily. How is it that there is never money for what nurses need, yet there is always money for bonuses and shareholders dividend??? Why is breaking ground on that new medical plaza prioritized in lieu of replacing broken equipment and staff in the existing facilities?????!!! Why am I wheeling out patients in wheel chairs with torn fabric and broken brakes when our system has quarterly profits near $75 million dollars! SMH. It’s pretty easy to see where the roots of the nursing shortage lead. 

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

6 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

I've worked both forensic and general acute psych. Honestly, with ratios like that I'd die of boredom...?

It’s hard to give quality care for up to 20 patients as the only RN

[Guest 1152923]

5 hours ago, STelevation said:

Well said!! Healthcare is a racket for the rich!! You’ll never see any compassion from that club of administrators with their fancy business degrees and dry cleaned suits; the ones who spend 15 mins each day arrogantly strutting the floors, offering fake smiles and platitudes; who then retire to their plush offices and conference rooms to spend the remainder of the day having meetings and luncheons where they brainstorm new ways to disguise/siphon profits, and create clever talking points, so that old familiar adage of “do more with less” is more digestible by the peons beneath them. These people do NOTHING for the patient, and their existence and scheming has burdened resources, and directly created the crisis conditions that nurses deal with daily. How is it that there is never money for what nurses need, yet there is always money for bonuses and shareholders dividend??? Why is breaking ground on that new medical plaza prioritized in lieu of replacing broken equipment and staff in the existing facilities?????! Why am I wheeling out patients in wheel chairs with torn fabric and broken brakes when our system has quarterly profits near $75 million dollars! SMH. It’s pretty easy to see where the roots of the nursing shortage lead. 

     ^^^This^^^  Although hopeful, I'm a realist and don't have any expectations that things will improve.  As I've said over and over again, until powerful and influential entities can no longer massively profit from healthcare, we are stuck with the status quo; NO nationwide, mandated N/P ratios; NO universal healthcare; MORE crappy health insurance with astronomical premiums and deductibles; MORE 'doing more with less' and MORE outrageously overpriced pharmaceuticals.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

11 hours ago, morelostthanfound said:

     ^^^This^^^  Although hopeful, I'm a realist and don't have any expectations that things will improve.  As I've said over and over again, until powerful and influential entities can no longer massively profit from healthcare, we are stuck with the status quo; NO nationwide, mandated N/P ratios; NO universal healthcare; MORE crappy health insurance with astronomical premiums and deductibles; MORE 'doing more with less' and MORE outrageously overpriced pharmaceuticals.

You're one better than me then as I am not even hopeful about it anymore. It was called "Reaganomics" in the '80's and "trickle down" economics at other times. It didn't work then unless you were one of the rich getting richer and it doesn't work now.  Only difference is in the 80's the economy was much more robust all around so the people in lower tax brackets were not so obviously suffering. Plus in the 80's while the CEO's were indeed well compensated it's nothing like it is now where the typical CEO wage package is so astronomically high. Even companies filing bankruptcy  still manage to somehow pay those people in the high 7 figures. 

I'd love for just one of those rich people to actually go to a grocery store and try to feed a family on a budget. Every time I go the prices of everything, including basic staples goes up.  I honestly don't know how a low income family or a person on a fixed budget is able to make it without the daily worry of getting to the next pay day before the money runs out.

I don't even know if it would make any difference whatsoever but step one is get rid of lobbyists who seem to have the power to influence budgets to the extent that the rich can just keep siphoning more and more of the money into  their own pockets.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

Never, we have always worked with shortages for one reason or another. Sometimes to our benefit financially,having increased leverage , but hard on us  mentally and physically.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

On 8/5/2021 at 5:58 AM, kbrn2002 said:

I'd love for just one of those rich people to actually go to a grocery store and try to feed a family on a budget. Every time I go the prices of everything, including basic staples goes up.  I honestly don't know how a low income family or a person on a fixed budget is able to make it without the daily worry of getting to the next pay day before the money runs out.

I don't even know if it would make any difference whatsoever but step one is get rid of lobbyists who seem to have the power to influence budgets to the extent that the rich can just keep siphoning more and more of the money into  their own pockets.

How to manage on a budget??,If one listens to Dave Ramsey ,you hear of many living within their means and saving money all the time.These are hard lessons that demand self discipline ,financial awareness.

In this day and age when everyone has indoor plumbing, a TV or two,cell phone,cable TV,  a car, dirt bikes, education for a career, easy access to contraception, free Libraries,  school lunches, child care tax credits,no one is barefoot ,YMCA,YMHA,CYO, Medicaid, Goodwill, night shift differential,sign on bonus,OT,....really now ,shall I go on. Put down the violin. Look at all the good around you and enjoy,life is not perfect.

[iNurs5, CNA]

This is alarming. I saw how awful it was during the early phase of this pandemic. I would like to believe this completely: Nurses leaving the HC.  

Ignore me. It has something to do with my origin and culture. 

My aunt was a SNF nurse for 20 years then became an ICU nurse. She gave up after 12 months. Too many COVID-19 patients she said.

[Guest 1152923]

On 8/4/2021 at 9:08 AM, STelevation said:

Well said!! Healthcare is a racket for the rich!! You’ll never see any compassion from that club of administrators with their fancy business degrees and dry cleaned suits; the ones who spend 15 mins each day arrogantly strutting the floors, offering fake smiles and platitudes; who then retire to their plush offices and conference rooms to spend the remainder of the day having meetings and luncheons where they brainstorm new ways to disguise/siphon profits, and create clever talking points, so that old familiar adage of “do more with less” is more digestible by the peons beneath them. These people do NOTHING for the patient, and their existence and scheming has burdened resources, and directly created the crisis conditions that nurses deal with daily. How is it that there is never money for what nurses need, yet there is always money for bonuses and shareholders dividend??? Why is breaking ground on that new medical plaza prioritized in lieu of replacing broken equipment and staff in the existing facilities?????! Why am I wheeling out patients in wheel chairs with torn fabric and broken brakes when our system has quarterly profits near $75 million dollars! SMH. It’s pretty easy to see where the roots of the nursing shortage lead. 

^^^Like, no, LOVE 110%^^^ absolutely perfect

[Leonardo Del Toro, RN]

5 hours ago, morelostthanfound said:

^^^Like, no, LOVE 110%^^^ absolutely perfect

 

On 8/4/2021 at 9:08 AM, STelevation said:

Well said!! Healthcare is a racket for the rich!! You’ll never see any compassion from that club of administrators with their fancy business degrees and dry cleaned suits; the ones who spend 15 mins each day arrogantly strutting the floors, offering fake smiles and platitudes; who then retire to their plush offices and conference rooms to spend the remainder of the day having meetings and luncheons where they brainstorm new ways to disguise/siphon profits, and create clever talking points, so that old familiar adage of “do more with less” is more digestible by the peons beneath them. These people do NOTHING for the patient, and their existence and scheming has burdened resources, and directly created the crisis conditions that nurses deal with daily. How is it that there is never money for what nurses need, yet there is always money for bonuses and shareholders dividend??? Why is breaking ground on that new medical plaza prioritized in lieu of replacing broken equipment and staff in the existing facilities?????! Why am I wheeling out patients in wheel chairs with torn fabric and broken brakes when our system has quarterly profits near $75 million dollars! SMH. It’s pretty easy to see where the roots of the nursing shortage lead. 

When you boil it all down you see the absurd of wealth care in the US. How can a few individuals make profit from public funds. Who pays for health care? Mostly tax money and some insurance (which is another racket). The health care industry is two times guilty. 1. it profits from public funds, that is moneys that were already spent under estimates of care delivery. 2. due to being public funds there are no worries about the economy. The money is always there for the take. No crisis. No recession. Just free money for the take...wow 

If you look at is in another way it would be like: you buy an apartment in construction. They tell you what you're going to get. But when the apartment is delivered it is nothing like they promised you. That is health care in the US in a nutshell. You pay for more to get your less. The difference goes to some really fat fat frogs. I'm I saying something wrong here?