December 8, 2024

Harmony Thrive

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Navigating The Healthcare Staffing Crisis

Navigating The Healthcare Staffing Crisis

Andrew Malley, Chief Executive Officer, OpusVi (formerly Dignity Health Global Education).

In the complex landscape of challenges facing the U.S. healthcare industry, none is more pressing than the acute shortage of skilled personnel. According to an American Hospital Association fact sheet, there will be an estimated shortage of up to 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026.

Additionally, a recent McKinsey and Company study reports resignations among healthcare professionals have surged, escalating from approximately 400,000 per month in 2020 to a staggering 600,000 per month by May 2023. This situation is exacerbated by the increasing departure and turnover of first- and second-year nurses. With more healthcare workers expected to exit the workforce over the next several years, these staffing shortages will only worsen unless organizations intervene.

Year after year, healthcare innovates, pushes care forward and deals with an ever-changing patient population. How can this spirit of innovation be targeted at the workforce?

The Magnitude Of The Workforce Challenge

As the demand for healthcare services continues to escalate, recent findings from McKinsey and Company predict a potential shortfall of 200,000 to 450,000 registered nurses available for direct patient care by 2025. A critical factor contributing to this challenge is the inability of the current education and training system to produce skilled healthcare workers at the necessary rate. The solution, I believe, lies in growing your own and providing comprehensive training, critical support and essential resources to empower caregivers with the competence and confidence to excel in their roles and want to progress onto new ones.

Empowering Healthcare Workers Through Scalable Training Programs And Comprehensive Retention Strategies

Due to staffing gaps, many young healthcare workers are being pushed into roles for which they are inadequately prepared. Unfortunately, the latest wave of healthcare leaders often lacks the time and training to hone these skills, exacerbating the issue. The departure of seasoned healthcare workers creates a knowledge transfer gap, pushing unprepared individuals into leadership roles without adequate training or experience.

However, there are solutions to this critical situation that can address shortages and support this crucial national workforce. Equitable, scalable and accessible education and training have the power to be pivotal solutions. I believe high-quality, application-based learning is not only essential for new entrants to the workforce but also for continuous development throughout careers.

In an industry grappling with rising turnover rates, recruitment strategies must extend beyond merely filling vacant positions. Prioritizing job satisfaction throughout a healthcare worker’s journey may present challenges, but the investment should yield higher retention rates, significant cost savings and crucial continuity in patient care.

Comprehensive Solutions For Workforce Retention And Acquisition

1. Provide scalable and data-driven residency programs with a mixture of specialist and group delivery to ensure clinical knowledge and build camaraderie and team cohesiveness. These programs should be supported by data- and credential-driven pathways where all skills and competencies are supported by high-quality metadata.

2. Offer high-quality preceptor training and support using innovative technology solutions to make precepting more efficient, trackable and enjoyable.

3. Tailor schedules to strengthen the clinical workforce pyramid to ensure strategic hiring and training of healthcare professionals at all levels. For example, increasing the number of PCAs, MAs and CNAs (by hiring externally or training staff internally) allows nurses to work at the top of their license and bring more equilibrium across the patient-facing clinical workforce.

4. Develop relevant and accessible programs by working with clinical educators to optimize content and with technology delivery experts to make the courses high-quality, scalable and data-driven.

5. Make realistic targets and stick to them. A shift of 10% in retention for most regional systems is a great start. A one-point lift in staff satisfaction is progression. Marginal gains across the spectrum aggregate to become the engines of effective change.

Embracing The Future

Now is the moment to triage the crisis before it escalates further. According to the 2022 NSI National Healthcare Retention Report, a 31.7% nurse (RN) turnover rate for first-year nurses indicates a pressing need for action. The cost of staff RN turnover has also been rising each year, reaching an average of $52,250 per RN in 2022.

In this critical juncture, healthcare leaders must shape the industry’s future by investing in proper training for nurses, physicians, senior care providers and other healthcare workers. This proactive approach will not only address staffing shortages and solve retention problems but will ultimately elevate patient outcomes, ensuring a healthier and more resilient healthcare system for the future.


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