According to a study published in the Spring of 2024, the supply of nurses is expected to be 10% less than the demand by 2026. This may sound like a relatively small number, but it represents tens of thousands of jobs.
Poorly staffed hospitals can’t function. In 2023 alone, hundreds of hospitals—many in rural parts of the country—closed, or were on the brink of closure thanks to staffing shortages.
Why is this happening and how does it influence the trajectory of the entire healthcare system? In this article, we take a look at the ripple effect of nursing shortages.
Why are there Nursing Shortages?
Though the problem is nuanced, it can be summarized by highlighting several key points:
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- Young nurses are churning out of the profession rapidly. Nearly fifty percent of newly licensed nurses will leave the profession within the first five years of their careers.
- Older nurses are retiring. Most nurses are “middle age,” with the average RN being around 45 years old.
- There are nursing shortages. Yes. Shortages cause shortages. More on that later.
The pandemic certainly didn’t help things. The job has always been hard and the risk of exposure to a deadly virus inspired many people to seek new jobs. Still, as bad Covid was, for healthcare, it’s not as pressing a problem as the above three issues.
When older workers are retiring and younger workers are quitting, it doesn’t leave many people around to do the job.
How Do Nursing Shortages Impact Patient Care?
Let’s put it this way: There is no positive impact of nursing shortages on patient care. Actual results will depend on the severity of the shortage, but here’s a breakdown of what happens in many communities:
- Longer wait times- Pretty self-explanatory. Fewer nurses mean a less streamlined healthcare experience. A couple of years ago, an emergency room nurse in Washington made national news when she called 911 to request emergency backup services in the hospital where she worked. The emergency waiting room was packed like a can of sardines. There was not a major influx of patients. The hospital simply didn’t have enough nurses to keep up with a typical Saturday night demand.
- Delays in intervention- An inefficient system is sluggish. A sluggish system does not always intervene with the speed that so many medical situations require. In the emergency room setting described above, what happens if several patients require immediate care?
- Increased errors- Overworked people make more mistakes, regardless of their profession. In the healthcare setting, those mistakes are destructive.
In certain places, these shortages are creating what analysts refer to as “healthcare deserts.” Areas where people lack adequate access to healthcare resources. A 2021 study described 80% of the country as having “inadequate access to care.”
Granted, the majority of communities described by that figure do have hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies within driving distance. Some, however, do not.
What Communities are Impacted the Most by Nursing Shortages?
Nursing shortages are bad for everyone but the effects are felt the most by rural communities. This is because:
- Even in the best of times, rural healthcare is tricky. It’s a geographic problem as much as it is anything else. Rural counties might consist of hundreds of miles but not very many people. This means that, even with enough healthcare workers, some people have to drive an hour or more for routine care.
- It’s hard to find healthcare workers. The majority of people move back to their hometown after college. Actually, a recent study has found that the majority of people move back in with their parents—but that’s more of a student debt/housing problem. That’s tough for rural communities because a town of 5000 may go years without producing a new nurse. And not many people are going out of their way to move to rural towns after college.
These factors combine to create true “healthcare deserts.” Vast parts of the country where you may be far removed from the nearest dramatically understaffed hospital.
Staffing Shortages Create Shortages
Shortages create more shortages because people who would have otherwise stayed in nursing burn out quicker in a distressed environment. When you are doing the work of two people and have no control over your schedule—the hospital doesn’t have enough nurses to take your scheduling preferences into account—it’s a recipe for trouble.
This may be the most devastating component of the current nursing crisis. A system that churns out even its best is hard to sustain.
Is There a Solution?
Not a quick one. The best way to stop the outflow of nurses is to recruit better. This requires coordinated efforts between high schools and universities. Guidance counselors can help by expanding their recommendation efforts.
Call healthcare jobs to the attention of boys. Minorities. People who don’t fall squarely into the stereotypical “nurse,” persona.
Good recruitment will result in people who are less likely to churn out of the profession. It’s simple: If the crisis is to stop, we need to develop a system where young nurses don’t prematurely quit.
Hospitals can also help by re-evaluating policies. Some are already working on creating environments that focus more on balance. Shorting shifts. More support resources. Better pay. These factors will also help create a world where it is easier to decide you want to keep your healthcare job.
Conclusion
Nursing shortages might not be going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean the situation can’t develop in a positive direction. For every bad healthcare story, there is a good one. Technology improves every day. There are many new devices and software programs that allow hospitals to do more with limited resources.
AI that makes it easier to process large quantities of data. Wearable health devices that allow nurses to monitor patients remotely. Telehealth platforms that reduce the burden on hospitals by keeping people out of the waiting room.
No, these things don’t fix the problem. They do contribute to a brighter future for healthcare.
