UNDERSTANDING THE NURSING SHORTAGE

The demand for healthcare services is higher than ever, and is only projected to increase in the coming years. However, due to a myriad of factors, the number of healthcare professionals in the workforce is falling behind demand, causing issues for hospitals and healthcare systems around the world.

17%

RN Vacancy Rate in 2022*

87 days

Average Time to Recruit an RN*

1 million

Estimated Nursing Vacancies by 2030*

*https://www.nsinursingsolutions.com/Library.php

What are the factors causing the current Nursing shortage?

Nurses are chronically overworked.

When it comes to healthcare workers, staffing shortages can easily become a vicious cycle. Too few people on staff leads to too many hours for current employees, which leads to burnout and eventually turnover—thus worsening the nursing shortage even further.

Nurses, and the patients they treat, are aging.

According to the 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey, the average age for RNs is 52 years old. For LVNs/LPNs, it’s 53 years old. That means many nurses and other health workers are nearing retirement age, right as demand for healthcare services is projected to spike significantly.

Nurses are hungry for new opportunities.

Nobody wants to feel stuck in their career journey. The NSI’s most recent Retention and Staffing Report identifies career advancement as one of the top reasons nurses move on to new jobs. Many nurses feel as though they have to move to bigger markets to find the growth opportunities they’re seeking.

image

In 2021 alone, staffing shortages cost the average hospital $7.1 million.*

* 2022 NSI National Healthcare Retention & RN Staffing Report https://www.nsinursingsolutions.com/Library.phpervices is projected to spike significantly.

Staffing shortages are costly for Healthcare systems, and for the patients they treat.

logo

Longer wait times for patients

Staffing shortages can lead to longer wait times, limited appointment availability, and rushed interactions with providers.

logo

Increased risk of medical errors

Despite heroic efforts, overworked people make more mistakes. In a healthcare setting, those mistakes can have dire consequences.

image

Burned-out healthcare workers

Understaffing is a major source of stress for healthcare providers, and burnout is one of the single biggest factors driving increased turnover.

logo

Expenses due to turnover and vacancies

Hiring traveling nurses can be an effective temporary solution, but it’s not a sustainable long-term strategy.

Solve your staffing shortage.

How can healthcare organizations address their staffing issues?

As hospitals and healthcare facilities search for solutions to their staffing concerns, more organizations are embracing innovative solutions like Unitek Learning’s
School-in-a-Box. Onsite training and education come with significant
benefits—and significant cost savings.

Make nursing and healthcare careers more accessible.

Removing barriers to access for healthcare careers not only increases the number of qualified, licensed healthcare professionals—it can transform entire communities. There are countless people with the drive and talent to thrive in healthcare careers, if given the opportunity.

Train and hire healthcare workers where they already live.

Attracting talent from outside locations comes with numerous challenges, particularly for rural healthcare facilities. But when people are able to access training, education, and career opportunities close to home, they’re more likely to stick around for the long term.

Improve professional development opportunities for current staff.

One of the best ways to retain employees is to make them feel valued, and provide them with opportunities to advance their careers. By bringing healthcare education directly to your facility, you’re making an investment in your staff’s success that can make a major impact on retention.

“The nursing crisis continues to become direr, negatively impacting healthcare. By 2025 the healthcare industry will be short between 200,000 and 450,000 nurses. At Unitek Learning we are aware of this shortage, and we grant partner organizations access to a full range of healthcare workers that other colleges can’t match. By partnering with Unitek you will also have access to a portfolio of academic programs to train, upskill, and even reskill your existing team.”

Karilyn Van Oosten, MA Vice President of Strategic Business Development
Karilyn Van Oosten, MA

Learn how we've changed the hiring landscape for our partners.

Banner Health

Arizona Read Case Study

Futuro

California Read Case Study

Kaweah Health

Tulare County, CA CASE STUDY COMING SOON

SierrraView

Proterville, CA CASE STUDY COMING SOON

Leading Age

California CASE STUDY COMING SOON
image

Rethink the way your organization handles staffing.

Fill out the form below to talk with our Workforce Development team about making your staffing shortage a thing of the past.

Become a Partner - footer form

Step 1 of 4

We Welcome Your
Questions And Ideas

Invest in your people with a Unitek program.

Our wide range of on-ground hybrid and online programs have enabled an entire
generation of students to chase their dreams and entire healthcare workforce

unitek-popup-img-1