Welcome to the ShiftMed blog where we discuss everything nursing, from professional insights to healthcare holidays to helpful hints for working with us.
When you claim shifts with ShiftMed, you're part of a team working as a W-2 employee—not a 1099 lone wolf. Unsure of the differences between W-2 employees and 1099 contractors? Don't worry; we'll break it down in the simplest, most entertaining way possible and discuss how these employment classifications influence your payroll taxes.
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.
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.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the critical role that healthcare workers play in our society, but it has also highlighted the risks of workforce instability in healthcare facilities. This instability can have significant budget implications, affect the quality of patient care, and lead to staff burnout and turnover. Furthermore, healthcare facilities face legal and regulatory risks if they fail to maintain a stable workforce.
Understaffing and unsustainable patient loads strained the nursing profession long before COVID—the pandemic just compounded the problem. That's why today's nurses suffer from burnout and struggle with their mental health like never before.
The healthcare industry is facing a severe nursing shortage, and the impact of this crisis is being felt across the board. The shortage affects health systems in many ways, but one of the most significant impacts is operating budgets. As health systems struggle to maintain staffing levels, they rely on expensive agency contracts and travel nurses, contributing to budget instability. At the same time, labor costs continue to rise, making it challenging to maintain a balanced budget.
