New report from Incredible Health also
highlights increasing alignment between what healthcare executives
are willing to offer and what nurses want
SAN
FRANCISCO, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/
-- Healthcare executives have a stark prediction about the
state of healthcare in America: the nurse shortage is likely to
worsen. That's according to a new report released today from
Incredible Health, the largest career marketplace for permanent
healthcare workers used by over 1,500 hospital locations nationwide
and one million U.S. nurses.
Nurses are the backbone of the American healthcare system, but
the field has not kept up with patient growth and demand over
recent years, and the U.S. is projected to be 1 million nurses
short by 2030. This puts significant pressure on existing staff
members and raises concerns about quality of care. Only 32% of
healthcare executives polled are satisfied with current
patient-to-staff ratios and 78% do not feel they have adequate
nurse staff to prepare for a large-scale health crisis.
Incredible Health's 2024 Healthcare Executive Report
solicited responses from more than 100 U.S. healthcare executives
from the country's leading hospital networks. The report, along
with its proprietary data from over 1,500 US hospitals, found that
90% predicted the nurse shortage would worsen in the immediate
future. However, the report also highlights a path forward toward
course correction, with the dawn of new technologies and better
alignment between what nurses want and what health systems
offer.
"The nurse shortage is not new but the fact that healthcare
executives are so focused on this issue and taking steps to improve
is a cause for optimism," said Iman
Abuzeid MD, CEO and co-founder of Incredible Health. "Our
data consistently shows that the providers who have the most
success with hiring and retention are those with executives who are
responsive to the needs of nurses."
Burnout and workplace violence
Burnout and workplace
violence are top factors contributing to the shortage, healthcare
executives say, with 46% of nurses reporting burnout as their
biggest reason for leaving this year according to Incredible
Health's 2024 Fifth Annual State of Nursing Report. A majority of
those executives polled (66%) say that they have seen an increase
in verbal and/or physical assaults on nurses by patients or a
member of the patient's family within the past year. That sentiment
echoes the sentiment of nurses themselves: Incredible Health's
Fifth Annual State of Nursing Report found that more than a quarter
(26%) of nurses are likely to leave their positions due to
workplace violence this year.
Since healthcare workers are five times more likely to
experience violence at work than any other profession, healthcare
executives are implementing tactics like establishing a
zero-tolerance policy, investing in security that allows nurses to
alert when they are in danger, supporting legislation that
establishes penalties for violence toward healthcare staff, and
establishing strong safety plans for staff if any violence occurs
in the workplace.
The path ahead
The good news is that many executives
have a roadmap to change the way their health systems support
nurses. More than half (64%) of executives stated that salary
increases have been the most effective method for attracting and
hiring nurses. 40% of healthcare executives reported they increased
salaries for nurses over the past year. This is consistent with
what nurses desire, as Incredible Health's 2024 State of U.S.
Nursing Report found that 64% of nurses reported not feeling fairly
compensated for their work.
Technological advancements, like Incredible Health's generative
AI features, are another potential solution to help reduce nurse
burnout. More than half of healthcare executives (54%) are
exploring technologies that leverage artificial intelligence (AI)
for nursing operations, and 78% believe that AI will positively
impact their health systems. Burnout is a consistent source of
nurse turnover and AI technology promises to eliminate the
burdensome administrative aspects of their jobs. Nearly half of
healthcare executives (47%) reported nurses using AI for
scheduling/admin processes and 53% are asking team members to use
AI to increase operational efficiency within their health
system.
Incredible Health saw a 20% increase in nurses accepting
interview requests on its platform after generative AI was
implemented, helping health system recruiters instantly automate
specially-tailored messages to nurse candidates, highlighting key
details about hospital benefits, perks, and attributes that help
health systems differentiate from intense competition for
nurses.
"Healthcare professionals, including nurses, play a crucial role
not only within hospitals but also across the entire country," said
Valerie Hernandez, Vice President of
Talent Acquisition at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. "Our top
priority is to adequately staff our facilities to ensure optimal
patient care outcomes. We're actively implementing innovative
initiatives that will empower our teams. However, the ongoing nurse
recruitment challenge remains an existential issue that all
hospitals must address. We appreciate Incredible Health for working
with us, and shedding light on the progress and challenges faced by
hospitals and health systems today."
The full 2024 Healthcare Executive Report which details
AI in healthcare, factors impacting the supply of nurses, and
methods for retaining nurse staff can be found here. Resources for
health systems can be found here, and resources for nurses can be
found here.
About Incredible Health
As the largest career
marketplace for permanent healthcare workers, Incredible Health
puts nurses in the driver's seat. Hospitals apply directly to
nurses rather than the other way around. The first and only
platform to focus on permanent employees rather than contractors,
Incredible Health is already used by over 1,500 hospital locations
nationwide and one million U.S. nurses. Incredible Health's
proprietary algorithm-based technology custom matches the needs of
hospitals with the right nurses. Co-founded by MD and Wharton alum
Iman Abuzeid and MIT alum from a family of nurses, Rome Portlock,
Incredible Health is headquartered in San
Francisco, CA, and operates nationally.
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SOURCE Incredible Health