Welcome to the ShiftMed blog where we discuss everything nursing, from professional insights to healthcare holidays to helpful hints for working with us.
Nursing may be a profession taken for granted in the U.S. (just like teachers), but the numbers speak differently to their value. As a career, there’s a lot of flexibility, stability, and earning potential working as a nurse.
Overtime has become a common occurrence in the healthcare industry, especially in hospitals and health systems that struggle to meet their staffing needs. Nurses, in particular, are often asked to work overtime, sometimes even on a regular basis. While overtime may seem like a necessary solution to staffing gaps, excessive and prolonged overtime can have negative impacts on patient care, nurse well-being, and hospital finances.
In recent years, the healthcare industry has faced an unprecedented increase in demand for skilled nursing professionals. As hospitals and health systems grapple with persistent staffing challenges, the utilization of travel nurses has emerged as a popular solution. These temporary healthcare providers are often deployed to fill critical gaps in staffing, ensuring continuity of care and alleviating the burden on permanent staff.
Continuity of care is a cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery, particularly within the demanding environments of hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. This crucial aspect of patient care ensures seamless transitions between healthcare providers, fosters comprehensive treatment plans, and ultimately leads to improved patient outcomes.
With more shifts and fewer nurses to fill them, healthcare facilities face significant staffing problems. And facilities that require nurses to work longer and harder shouldn't be surprised when they experience an increase in absenteeism and a decrease in dependability—not to mention poorer patient outcomes. Here's a playlist on how your healthcare facility can improve the reliability of its nursing staff.
Happy National Nurses Week! As the American Nurses Association celebrates our country's more than four million registered nurses using the theme "You Make a Difference," we want to give a special shout-out to all our dedicated healthcare professionals—YOU ARE AWESOME!
While there was already a shortage of skilled nursing staff and other healthcare workers prior to the pandemic, the past three years have pushed the shortage to critical levels. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 2.1 million job openings in healthcare, which is expected to grow to 3.2 million by 2026 as baby boomers age and require more care.
