How the Healthcare Industry Can Triage the Nursing Shortage

America is yet again at the precipice of another medical catastrophe. Only this time, the healthcare sector lacks the fundamental resources necessary to support a nation in crisis.

A new “tridemic”—fueled by the simultaneous outbreak of a new COVID-19 subvariant, the flu, and RSV—threatens to take hold of the public and overwhelm the healthcare industry. The phenomenon has already rendered more than 75% of pediatric hospital beds full, and spurred the highest hospitalization rate of seniors with the flu or respiratory illness in a decade. In the aftermath of the holiday season, experts believe widespread transmission is almost certain to skyrocket — putting profound strain on an already crippled healthcare sector.

While members of the public have started to reminisce on COVID-19 with a sense of finality, healthcare workers continue to reap the long-term consequences of the pandemic to this day. Since the beginning of the pandemic, one in five healthcare workers have quit—with many leaving the medical field entirely. Widespread burnout, brutal hours, and the trauma of working in pandemic-era facilities are among the myriad reasons why professionals are resigning in droves. As workforce numbers dwindle, remaining caregivers have felt more pressure than ever to perform in under-resourced, laborious conditions. As a result, more than one-third of nurses reported that they were “very likely” to leave their roles by the end of 2022.

The economic implications of the healthcare workforce shortage are striking. Unable to keep up with pre-pandemic level patient volumes, constrained care facilities have had to cut their occupancy rates by up to 10%. Stifled revenue at facilities across the nation threatens to cost the industry at large up to $19.5 billion this year, alone.

There is, unfortunately, no “quick fix” to healthcare shortages. Employment as a medical professional requires years of intensive training and unimaginable diligence—as such, gaps in care can very quickly become chasms. McKinsey estimates that by 2025, the U.S. will experience a shortage of up to 450,000 nurses—up to 20% of the entire workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. will require more than 203,000 new RNs every year through 2026 to fully rehabilitate the sector.

Now, with the onset of this “tridemic,” it appears that there is no respite for this depleted workforce. The reality the U.S. must confront is that in its current state, the healthcare sector cannot handle another medical crisis. Medical systems cannot function without skilled professionals, in particular, nurses. To ensure a robust healthcare sector not only for today, but also for years to come, medical professionals must employ innovative strategies to remedy urgent needs in care.

Foreign-educated nurses offer one clear solution to this critical issue. These health care professionals are highly trained and come to the U.S. in search of career advancement and new opportunities to expand their expertise. In times of desperate need, these professionals relocate to under-resourced hospitals, clinics, and other care facilities to provide patients with the treatments that they need. Healthcare staffing agencies, like Health Carousel, act as the intermediary to these workers seeking employment in the U.S. and facilities in need of additional caregivers. These agencies are working each day to fill potentially fatal voids in America’s healthcare system.

In the face of a mass exodus of its workforce, subsequent degradation of patient care standards, and a looming medical emergency with the onset of the “tridemic,” the healthcare industry must take immediate action to equip medical professionals to succeed. As it stands, current gaps in care will prove too wide to sustain Americans through another health crisis. Without employing unique solutions, the “tridemic” will exacerbate the industry-wide scarcity of both resources and labor. Turning to foreign-educated nurses is a sound solution to fill urgent chasms in care—and should be employed before the “tridemic” threatens to irreparably ravage the healthcare industry for generations to come. 

Saul Anuzis is president of 60 Plus, the American Association of Senior Citizens, a nonpartisan seniors advocacy group that’s based in Washington, DC, with members across the country.