Nurse shortages have proven to be a persistent, long-term challenge for healthcare. To examine this issue, Becker's recently spoke with Robin Geiger, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President of Clinician Advocacy at Ingenovis Health.
In the podcast, Dr. Geiger shared her thoughts on workforce shortages and discussed why elevating the voice of clinicians has taken on new importance amid labor shortages.
Dr. Geiger, who has been a nurse for over 25 years, started at the bedside. She spent her early years in the medical intensive care unit before joining central staffing, where she provided care in multiple ICUs, the emergency room, and operating room before becoming a family nurse practitioner. Dr. Geiger also has a doctorate in nursing and advanced board certification as a nurse executive. At Ingenovis Health, she leads and develops the ACT program, which is the company's commitment to advocacy, sustained career support and tools or resources for front-line commissions.
According to Dr. Geiger, current nurse shortages are driven by several factors. Staffing ratios, the aging provider population, and the lack of nursing faculty to teach new nurses are the three main factors affecting shortages. The pandemic has pushed nurses to their breaking point, as the stress of an increasingly sick population with limited staffing left nurses overworked and often feeling unappreciated by patients and administration. Furthermore, nurses feel at risk with large numbers of assigned patients or patients with higher acuity. The aging provider population is also a problem. Many nurses are retiring, and this doesn't coincide with new nurses entering the field. The lack of educational faculty is also a challenge, as the pay for nurse educators is often low in relation to other specialties. Nurses can make more money at the bedside or in a clinic than teaching.
Dr. Geiger believes the profession of nursing has been romanticized to some degree. Students see advertisements and established RNs doing well and getting jobs right out of college, but they may miss the real challenges that come with nursing. Furthermore, Dr. Geiger said some nurses are tired of the challenges they face on the job. Nurses may experience death and dying almost daily. This, coupled with the fear of being arrested for unintentional errors, contributes to anxiety about staying or entering the profession.
The voice of clinicians, including nurses, can play a critical role in addressing attrition and retention in the healthcare workforce. Leaders should encourage nurses to speak out about their experiences and challenges. The nursing profession needs more transparency, which can help students make informed decisions about their career paths. Additionally, improving staffing ratios, investing in nurse education, and offering competitive compensation can go a long way in retaining nurses in the profession.
Nurses face unprecedented challenges, and the profession needs more transparency to attract and retain new nurses. Elevating the voice of clinicians is critical to ensure the future of the nursing profession and the delivery of quality healthcare services.