Children's Hospitals Today - Spring 2022 - 17

STAFFING / FEATURE
STAFFING IS HOSPITAL CEOS' NO. 1 CONCERN
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS.
-American College of Healthcare Executives 2021 Annual Survey
The main drivers
Talley and Young spotlight four key factors behind the nursing
shortage facing their organizations and children's hospitals
around the country.
1 | Transitions in practice
Those who were in nursing school during the pandemic faced
educational interruptions no other nursing students had
faced before. " They were fast-tracked to graduation so they
could be deployed more quickly onto the front line, " Talley
says. " They didn't have a place to do clinical rotations, so they
are coming to us with a knowledge deficit that we need to
address. Many nursing students coming to us now have never
provided direct care to a patient by virtue of the pandemic. "
2 | Complex patient care
Talley says the pandemic has prompted more complex
patient types and needs. And the stresses and pressures
brought on by COVID-19 can accelerate expectations and
frustrations when patients and families come into a health
care facility. " We're seeing nurses burn out faster, new nurses
especially, because they are just not prepared for the daunting
task they've signed up for, " says Talley. " The turnover
among nurses with less than two or three years of experience
is where we see our highest rates. "
3 | Work-life balance
According to Talley, the pressures nurses have in their professional
and personal lives sometimes can't be balanced.
Those nurses seek to either reduce their hours at work or to
walk away from work completely-and time will tell whether
they re-enter the workforce. Young says, " The pandemic
pushed that work-life balance to the forefront, where people
are saying, 'I can't do this anymore-I have to balance my life
because of the effect of everything that's happened over the
last couple of years.' "
SUCCESS STRATEGIES
Creating a pipeline
of new nurses
In addition to offering
opportunities to earn a
bachelor's degree in nursing,
a new program at Akron
Children's Hospital helps
potential nursing students
from traditionally underrepresented
groups to pursue
a degree-and career-in
nursing by removing barriers
often presented by traditional
four-year programs.
◼ The program provides students
with financial support,
job shadowing, mentorship and
a fast-track to graduation-
and a new career.
◼ 100% of costs are covered,
including tuition, uniforms,
books and fees.
◼ Resources are available to
remove common barriers to
post-secondary education,
including transportation,
childcare and equipment.
◼ Upon completion of the
program, participants start a
three-year work commitment
in their new role at Akron
Children's.
CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TODAY Spring 2022
17
Children's Hospitals Today - Spring 2022

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