The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE STATE OF NURSING
Nationally, about 500,000 health care providers – mostly nurses – have resigned since February 2020. And though there was a comeback in overall health care employment last month (up 34,000), it is still down 250,000 since those early days of the pandemic. And only a small portion of those newly filled jobs are in hospitals, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on May 6.
Pat Horton, chief executive officer for the Georgia Center for Nursing Excellence, offers some insight on the various reasons for nurse resignations both here and nationally, including:
■ Fatigue, burnout and mental well-being: Issues include the impact of the pandemic on themselves and those around them, lack of control over workload demand, inefficient electronic health care record tools, chaotic work environment, lack of nurses and support staff, and too many bureaucratic tasks.
■ Lack of flexibility: Issues include long shifts, lack of nurses and support staff, concern for work-life balance, limited time-off, constant requests to work additional hours and limited opportunities to rotate between the bedside and other areas.
■ Pay: More consideration is being given to nursing wages due to the increased usage of travel nurses and the pay differences. Pay issues include competitive market pay, financial incentives and the recognition and reward structures.
■ Workplace violence: Increased workplace violence, including verbal abuse, physical aggression, sexual harassment and racial discrimination, has caused nurses to ask an important question “Are you going to keep me safe?”
■ Leadership: Nurse leaders have a significant impact on nurse retention and recruitment. Mentorship, staffing, staff empowerment over the work environment, support for self-care, fostering a healthy work environment, recognizing and rewarding staff, streamlining processes, developing a sense of belonging, fostering individual growth and development, and keeping open communication all contribute to a professional environment that promotes retention.
■ Early retirement: A large number of nurses are at or close to retirement age and have decided to retire for a variety of reasons.