The current pandemic has shed light on the various weaknesses in the country’s healthcare industry. At the top of the list are limited supplies/equipment to care for patients on a mass level and, likely even more scary, a shortage of qualified staff. At the core of the healthcare professional shortage, however, are nurses and other medical support staff.
Where Have All The Nurses Gone?
Why is there such a shortage of nurses in the United States? There are several causes for this. For starters, many of the nursing professionals currently employed are aging and, as such, retiring. There’s also the fact that there are limited staff and few resources (educational facilities and classroom space) available to properly train incoming nursing students.
One of the biggest reasons for the shortage of nurses in the country is low retention rates. Many nurses that are employed feel physically and emotionally overwhelmed by the demands of their jobs. With fewer nurses on payroll, existing nurses are expected to work harder and longer to care for patients.
When you add a worldwide pandemic to the mix, the working environment for nurses and medical support staff becomes even more challenging to manage. From limited personal protective equipment and longer work schedules to the influx of patients and the hopelessness of not being able to save them all, it’s a lot to deal with leaving nurses more likely to burn out or even quit.
Your Help is Needed Now
Whether you’ve always taken an interest in the nursing field or you simply feel the internal need to get out and help during these times of crisis, your help is greatly needed. With the shortage of nurses continuing to increase, medical facilities large and small are eager to find educated, qualified, and trained individuals to fill the void. By becoming a nurse during the pandemic, you’re working to save many lives in the communities you reside in. What greater reason could there be to get started?
Admission is a Lot Easier
Another reason to become a nurse during the pandemic is that it’s a lot easier to get into nursing school. As a result of testing centers closing during the pandemic, many universities offering nursing programs have begun waiving test scores and allowing students to enroll. Yes, it will be your responsibility to keep up with the course load, learn the lessons, and pass the courses, but if you can get accepted to a nursing program, you’re halfway there.
More Resources Available
Studying to become a nurse isn’t easy. After all, your job will be to care for the health and wellbeing of patients. You’ll not only need to learn certain medical practices but how to utilize various equipment to aid you in providing quality care. Though becoming a nurse today won’t be a breeze, there are more educational resources to make things easier. There are nursing certificate programs that can be obtained in less than a year, there are nursing programs that can be completed online, and there is a myriad of training and education resources available including the NCLEX practice test and more.
Plenty of Job Opportunities (With Perks)
Finally, another reason to start your nursing career now is that there are a lot more job opportunities that come with perks. There are hundreds, if not thousands of nursing positions that need to be filled. Healthcare facilities and small medical practices have begun to incentivize eligible candidates by offering additional perks. From increased pay and flexible scheduling to paid training and career development opportunities, the goal is to make the working environment more fitting for incoming nurses.
If you have a burning desire to become a nurse during these uncertain times, don’t be afraid to step up and join the fight. Not only is the current environment making it easier for nurses to get the education and training they need, but the high-demand for nurses create opportunities that may not have otherwise been available. Above all else, becoming a nurse now could mean saving thousands of innocent lives and improving the overall health and wellbeing of your community.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
