The federal government has a potent policy vehicle to address nurse shortages in hospitals: the rules of Medicare participation. The U.S. Supreme Court just upheld a Covid-19 vaccination mandate for employees in organizations participating in Medicare using this authority.
Full Answer
Is there a solution to the nursing shortage?
Feb 08, 2022 · Requiring hospitals that participate in Medicare to adhere to safe nurse staffing standards can help solve the nurse shortage.
How can the federal government address nurse shortages in hospitals?
Feb 08, 2022 · It is past time for the federal government to step in with strategic and specific interventions to eliminate chronic understaffing and nurse shortages in hospitals permanently, not just during Covid. There’s no need for new legislation — the federal government can use its existing authority under Medicare to require safe nursing staffing.
What role does education play in the nursing shortage?
Feb 22, 2022 · Currently, the national average for turnover rates is 8.8 % to 37.0%, depending on geographic location and nursing specialty. Career and Family Adding to the shortage problem is that nursing is still majority female, and often during childbearing years, nurses will cut back or leave the profession altogether.
Is there a nursing shortage in New York?
Aug 02, 2019 · In Texas, the supply of RNs, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and certified nurse-midwives is projected to fall short of demand by 2030, according to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies. Some 60,000 RN jobs will need to be filled. But nursing pays.
What is being done to combat nursing shortage?
How is the nursing shortage being addressed?
How did the Affordable Care Act affect nurses?
What has contributed to the nursing shortage?
The United States nursing shortage is driven by many factors, including an increased need for care, large numbers of the workforce reaching retirement age, and recent healthcare legislation. The situation is further complicated by nursing burnout.Aug 11, 2021
When did the nursing shortage begin?
This is exactly what happened in the mid-1930s, when several technological, economic, and health care-related events combined to increase the demand for registered nurses and to lay the groundwork for a shortage.
Why is it important to address the nursing shortage?
Do nurses support the Affordable Care Act?
What has the Affordable Care Act accomplished in terms of making healthcare more accessible to people?
What are the benefits of the Affordable Care Act?
- Increased health coverage.
- Better access to health care.
- Better health outcomes, including fewer premature deaths.
- More financial security and opportunities for economic mobility.
- Lower uncompensated care costs.
- A stronger response to COVID-19.
When will the baby boomer generation retire?
In 2029, the last of the baby boomer generation will reach retirement age, resulting in a 73% increase in Americans 65 years of age and older, 41 million in 2011 compared to 71 million in 2019. As the population ages, the need for health services increases.
How many nurses will be needed in 2020?
Estimates of upwards of one million additional nurses will be needed by 2020.[1][2] Nurses are a critical part of healthcare and make up the largest section of the health profession. According to the World Health Statistics Report, there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives globally, with 3.9 million of those individuals in ...
How many nurses are there in the world?
According to the World Health Statistics Report, there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives globally, with 3.9 million of those individuals in the United States. Estimates of upwards of one million additional nurses will be needed by 2020.[1][2] Nurses are a critical part of healthcare and make up the largest section ...
How does technology affect nurses?
Technology . The introduction of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and other technological advances can also affect nurses staying in the profession. While some specialties such as nursing informatics are booming, that adds to the shortage problem by removing nurses from direct patient care areas.
What is the role of violence in healthcare?
Violence in the Healthcare Setting. Violence in the healthcare setting plays a role in the nursing shortage, the ever-present threat of emotional or physical abuse , adding to an already stressful environment.
How many RNs will be needed in Texas by 2030?
Some 60,000 RN jobs will need to be filled. But nursing pays.
Why is education important in nursing?
Education also plays a crucial role in the nursing shortage. “As a nurse, you used to advance whether or not you went back to school. Now you see more nurses going back to school to advance,” said Cindy Zolnierek, Ph.D., the CEO of the Texas Nurses Association.
Who is Chuck Stokes?
Chuck Stokes is president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System and a registered nurse. Cathy Rozmus, Ph.D., is vice dean for academic affairs at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth. Ainslie Nibert, Ph.D., is associate dean of the Texas Woman’s University nursing program in Houston.
Is the US population aging?
Beyond that, the U.S. population is aging overall. By 2030, one in every 5 residents will be retirement age, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. “With the aging population, we are getting ready to consume more health care resources than we have ever consumed in our country,” Stokes said.
Who is Tonya Robinson?
Tonya Robinson is a research nurse in urology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Current nursing facts and statistics
Nurses are a vital part of the healthcare system. Studies have shown that when hospitals and other healthcare facilities have the appropriate amount of nurses, it improves patient safety, mortality rates, and overall patient outcomes.
Which states are in the greatest need?
There is a need for nurses across the country, but certain areas face a much greater shortage than others. The southern and western portions of the nation are expected to face some of the largest needs for nurses. California alone is projected to need about 44,500 new RNs by 2030.
Why is there a nursing shortage?
The nursing shortage is a complex problem with several causes. There are many factors at play, from a larger-than-ever population of older adults to nursing burnout.
What might the fallout look like from a nursing shortage?
Unlike many other fields that face employer shortages, there is no way to minimize the demand for healthcare. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities will always need qualified nurses. Unfortunately, that also means a shortage creates several challenges, such as:
How can we solve the shortage?
The nursing shortage has many causes that all need to be addressed. We will need multiple solutions to address this complicated issue. Some possible steps to take include:
The takeaway
The United States nursing shortage is driven by many factors, including an increased need for care, large numbers of the workforce reaching retirement age, and recent healthcare legislation.
How does the Affordable Care Act affect nursing?
The Affordable Care Act and Its Impact on the Nursing Profession. The ACA places a greater focus on outcomes, with more pressure on nurses to show they can give effective care. This means the demand for advanced practice nurses (APNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) has also increased.
How did the Affordable Care Act change healthcare?
The ACA achieved many of its goals. The federal government helped with state funding for Medicare, with 37 states expanding Medicare after the ACA became law. Individuals without insurance from an employer could obtain insurance from a private marketplace , and insurance companies could not charge ...
When did the Affordable Care Act become law?
When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law in 2010, it transformed the entire fabric of the U.S. healthcare system, including how nurses and other healthcare professionals approached their jobs.
What was the purpose of the Affordable Care Act?
The law's purpose was to lower insurance costs and ensure that no American went without health insurance.
Does Joe Biden support the ACA?
Unsurprisingly, Democratic candidate Joe Biden supports the ACA. He served as former President Obama's vice president when the legislation passed, and he plans to support and expand the ACA if elected. Biden's campaign promises to offer policies that lead to health insurance coverage for 97% of Americans .
What is Biden's healthcare plan?
One major component of Biden's healthcare proposal involves implementing a public option. In other words, individuals would be able to buy a public health insurance option like Medicare if they don't like their employer's plan. The plan also proposes increasing tax credits that would lead to lower insurance premiums.
Did Trump repeal the ACA?
For example, President Trump eliminated the ACA's required individual mandate. President Trump continues to support repealing the ACA heading into the 2020 election. In June, he asked the Supreme Court to overturn the ACA, although the court will not hear arguments until November.
Why is nursing a problem?
The real problem with nursing care, then, is that profits are too often prioritized over patients, and over the labor rights of critical workers. That’s why nurses on the front lines of the health care crisis are also at the forefront of the fight for single payer.
Why is staffing ratio important?
Studies have shown that staffing ratios lead to improved patient outcomes and workforce morale, while also curbing health care costs. Nurses gather to protest health care cuts at the National Day of Action in Los Angeles on January 15, 2017.