GTCC's Voice for Student Journalism
Source: The Cecil G. Sheps Center For Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina
Hospitals, Colleges brace for NC Nursing Shortage
By Niki Bercume
Staff Writer
There are currently shortages in supplies, aluminum, and now nurses? North Carolina could be facing a nurse and healthcare worker deficit in the coming years, according to recent projections. As nurses battle mental and physical exhaustion and nursing schools struggle to attract faculty, institutions such as GTCC will have a big role to play in addressing a growing need.
Citing data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC-Chapel Hill, Higher Ed Works notes that North Carolina is projected to face shortages of 10,000 registered nurses (RNs) and 5,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) by 2033. These numbers account for almost ten percent and more than twenty percent of the current RN and LPN workforce, respectively.
“The article provides a good overview of the dramatic changes that impact nursing and the delivery of care," said Warren Crow, RN BSN Program Director for Health Careers here at GTCC. "What is not discussed is that western and most of the eastern portions of NC will have the most significant impact.”
Higher Ed Works cited a variety of factors that are contributing to the shortage, from Baby Boomer nurses retiring to nurses working fewer hours as the economy improved. As Crow noted, nurses also face physical and mental strain. “Nurses are leaving the profession because they are weary with no relief in sight," he said. "Others are leaving because their age does not meet the demand of the profession. Being on your feet working 12 hours a day on hard surface floor takes a toll on your back."
COVID Adds to Hospital Woes
For those currently working in hospital settings, the ongoing COVID pandemic has added another layer of challenge.
Brittany Hill, a GTCC alum working as a psychiatric nurse, said that nurses are being asked to take on a greater number of patients, which has led to injuries as they try to do more with less help. "We have definitely felt the worker shortage in all areas, not just in nursing," she added, citing fewer supplies, late meals, and delays in moving patients. "Because of this, some patients may be in the emergency department for a lot longer than they otherwise would have been."
Jacqueline Ward, a GTCC student who works in an operating room as a certified surgical technologist, says that hospital staffers have had to deal with everything from being furloughed to adapting to constantly changing safety procedures. "When COVID first started, and everything shut down, my job was not spared," she said. "As operation procedures resumed, we were introduced to new PPE that we were not accustomed to, and we had to adjust accordingly." She also said that after being assured that staff would not be required to treat COVID patients, they were then asked to prepare as if every patient was COVID-positive. "That seemed a little unfair to us staff members," said Ward.
Both Hill and Ward observed increased burnout. Hill pointed to more nurses leaving the bedside to work remotely while Ward said hospital employees took to calling out just to have time to unwind. "The stress and the burnout were real," she added. "There were no bonuses, no extra pay, no nothing during the height of the COVID outbreak. "And this is how we are repaid for our hard work and dedication? Lots and lots of questions and no answers." Bonuses have been awarded since, but as Ward noted, morale remains low.
Teaching: A Tough Sell For Qualified Nurses
As hospitals prepare for workforce losses, colleges and universities may face greater pressure to train replacements. However, they face a challenge of their own: attracting and retaining qualified instructors.
"In order to teach in a school of nursing in NC, you are required to have your Master’s Degree and/or be in the process of obtaining your Masters," said Crow. "Schools of Nursing, whether at the Community College level or University level are not able to pay what Hospitals are now paying for nurses with these degrees."
According to Crow, nurses with advanced degrees who care for patients directly can make up to $98,000, which nursing schools cannot match. Crow also pointed out that nursing instructors assume liability for students under their tutelage and must invest prep time to ready students for national nursing exams.
The key to meeting these challenges may be greater innovation. “The shortfall will require all schools of nursing to become more creative and adaptive to meet the demands and salary for faculty and the success of nursing students," said Crow.
High Demand, High Reward
Despite the strains of the profession, nearly eighty-five percent of all registered nurses in the U.S. still work in nursing, a number that suggests that many in nursing and adjacent careers find the work rewarding enough to keep doing.
"I truly love my patients and I truly love helping others," said Ward, who hopes to pursue a nursing degree at GTCC.
Hill added that the field is broad enough to allow nurses to specialize in areas that interest them most. "I have always loved my job in mental health," she said. "If I had to be a dialysis nurse or a pediatric nurse I would not have made it in nursing this many years."
She said that a lot of workplaces offer free counseling, which nurses can take advantage of to prevent burning out.
Zac Goldstein contributed to this report.
