I’m doing my part to combat health care worker shortages

As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and new variants emerge, disruptions to businesses have become commonplace. Since March of 2020, millions of workers have left the workforce entirely. In recent days, Florida has seen record numbers of new infections, taking people out of work and further straining businesses with staffing shortages.

Nowhere are staffing shortages more urgent than among health care workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, since the start of the pandemic, one in five health care workers have left their jobs. Here in Florida, where over 20% of the population is over the age of 65, hospitals and medical providers cannot afford to be understaffed.

As a nursing student, this is a trend I have been following closely.

My path to nursing was not a traditional one. I decided to pursue a nursing degree after having spent several years as a field biologist specializing in spider silk research and working with the BBC on a documentary series also on this topic. While I enjoyed the research and contributing to a documentary series, I wanted more stability and the opportunity to work directly with patients. I felt my calling was nursing. When the pandemic hit, my desire to make it happen only intensified, and I made the difficult decision to change careers.

I moved to Broward County and enrolled at the Arizona College of Nursing’s campus in Fort Lauderdale, a private career education college. I am a nontraditional student who learns best in a hands-on environment — and that type of learning environment is exactly what my program has provided.

From the start, the school staff were transparent about what my program would look like. It was evident that the professors really cared about my success and my educational journey toward a longterm, fulfilling career as a nurse. Not only am I learning the science of medicine, but I’m also learning the art of compassion and strength — both elements that are critical for any nurse.

I am proud that as a newly trained nurse, I will be able to help fill the employment gaps as a frontline worker, and I’m proud that I pursued this path despite the fact that it was not a linear one.

I know that I am not alone. As staffing shortages pile up across industries, for-profit career education schools like the one I attend will play a crucial role in ensuring our country’s workforce needs are met.

My story teaches us that there are thousands of future health care workers who are rethinking their careers and looking for opportunities where they can make a difference in their own communities. I hope that they will explore the many options available to them. I’m an example of what can happen when you choose to follow your calling and forge your own path.

Canterbury