The Staffing Burdenin HealthcareHow Nursing Shortages Impact Your Bottom Line

The healthcare industry isone of the fastestgrowing sectors in theU.S., currently employingover 18 million workers. Nursing professionalsmake up the largest partof this sector.

3.9 million registerednurses (RNs)

4 millionhome care aides

270,000 nursepractitioners (NPs)

724,500 licensed practicalnurses (LPNs) & licensedvocational nurses (LVNs)

Nursing employment opportunities will grow15% between 2016 and 2026, the fastest rate

of any other occupation.

But with all of thisgrowth, there’s still agap in the number ofnursing professionalsavailable. Numerousreports say thisshortage is expectedto reach epidemicproportions in thecoming years.

RNs will be  needed by 2022Over 1 million

About 1 million RNs are  set to retirein the next 10–15 years

More than 56,000 nursing schoolapplicants were recently turned away dueto a lack of openings

The annual national faculty vacancyrate is over 7%

of home health aides by 2025A 446,300 deficit

NPs and nursingassistants by 2025.

A shortage of 125,000

As more nurses retire and fewer nurses enter theworkforce, the work is piling up for those still practicing.

of nurse supervisors sayscheduling and staffingproblems have a  negativeimpact on morale

94%are concerned aboutthe effects on apatient’s experienceand satisfaction

70%report last-minuteschedule changes are themost frequently occurringstaffing problem

40%

Even though there’s a need for morenurses, workplace violence and injuriesare some of the factors contributing tothese shortages.

4x more common

Nurses report over 35,000 back injuries every year

Direct and indirect costs, such as absenteeism andemployer medical costs, associated only with backinjuries are estimated to be $20 billion annually

Workplace violence is 

in healthcare than in the private industry.

Nearly all nurses have experienced lateral violence,a pattern of confrontational behavior targeted atone person by a peer

Almost half of nursing students in clinical placementsexperienced or observed lateral violence

Nurses are likely to leave their jobs within six monthsafter they’ve experienced lateral violence for the first time

Hospitals lose anywhere between $300,000 and$4 million, including the costs of recruiting, hiring,retaining and training each nurse who leaves

including California,Massachusetts, Ohio andTexas, currently addressnurse staffing issues inhospitals through laws andregulations.

California is the only state that requires a minimum nurse-to-patient ratiomaintained at all times by any hospital unit

14 states

Massachusetts’ law mandates ICUs have a 1:1 or 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio,depending on the patient’s stability

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The shortage of nurses is impactingthe daily business operations ofsome hospitals and healthcareorganizations. Empower nurses to beengaged in their own personal safetyand discover what tools nursemanagers and supervisors can use toaddress staffing needs.