How a Houston hospital reversed the trend of nurses leaving the profession

PBS NewsHour

13 Nov 202308:35

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe transcript highlights the nursing crisis in the U.S., with nearly a third of nurses considering leaving the profession, exacerbating the nationwide shortage. It features Houston Methodist Hospital's innovative response, including a virtual nursing unit, to address staff burnout and retention issues. The hospital's efforts to revert to pre-pandemic staff turnover rates are discussed, as well as the broader challenges of an aging nursing workforce, declining nursing student enrollment, and the impact of faculty shortages on nursing education. The piece underscores the need for long-term solutions to ensure a sustainable nursing workforce.

Takeaways

📈 A recent survey reveals nearly a third of nurses in the country are considering leaving their profession, which could severely impact patient care and hospital operations.
🏥 During the peak of the pandemic, nurses experienced high levels of burnout, with some even falling ill from COVID-19 after treating infected patients.
🤔 The pandemic has led to a significant increase in nurse turnover rates, with quitting rates seven times higher than before COVID-19.
🌟 Houston Methodist Hospital has implemented a virtual nursing unit to provide remote patient care, aiming to alleviate the workload on in-person nursing staff.
🕒 Virtual nursing is estimated to save bedside nurses 25-30 minutes per patient during intake or discharge processes.
🔄 The hospital has stopped hiring travel nurses and instead offers flexible schedules, more choice in assignments, and higher pay to retain staff.
📊 Texas faces a nursing shortage and projects a need for an additional 57,000 registered nurses over the next decade.
📚 There is a nationwide decline in nursing students, with a more than 15% drop in 2020, reaching a 10-year low.
🎓 Schools of nursing are increasing support for enrolled students and offering more scholarships to attract new ones, but face challenges with a shortage of nursing faculty.
💰 The overall nursing shortage is driving up salaries, especially for nurses with advanced degrees, affecting both clinical and educational settings.
🌐 Looking forward, hospitals are expected to continue finding ways to maximize resources and technology to support the nursing workforce.

Q & A

What percentage of nurses are considering quitting according to the recent survey?
-Nearly a third of nurses are seriously thinking of quitting, as per a recent survey.
How has the pandemic affected the nursing profession in terms of staff burnout?
-During the height of the pandemic, nurses experienced burnout as they were overwhelmed with the workload and number of patients coming in, leading to emotional, spiritual, and physical tolls.
What was the rate at which nurses were quitting before the pandemic, and how did it change during the pandemic?
-Nurses were quitting at seven times the rate they were before COVID-19, with over 100,000 nurses quitting the profession during the pandemic.
What measures has Houston Methodist Hospital taken to rebuild its nursing staff?
-Houston Methodist Hospital has stopped hiring travel nurses, offered flexible schedules, more choice of assignments, and higher pay to the remaining nurses, and implemented a virtual nursing unit.
How does the virtual nursing unit at Houston Methodist Hospital contribute to patient care?
-The virtual nursing unit allows nurses to provide direct patient care remotely, which saves time for bedside nurses by handling tasks such as intake and discharge, thus improving efficiency and patient care.
What is the projected shortfall of registered nurses in the next two years across the U.S.?
-There is a projected shortfall of nearly half a million nurses in the next two years nationwide.
What challenges are nursing schools facing in terms of faculty and applicants?
-Nursing schools are facing a shortage of nursing faculty, which requires additional doctoral training, and had to turn away more than 10,000 qualified applicants last year. This is a nationwide trend.
How has the pandemic impacted the average age of nurses and the potential for retirements?
-Before the pandemic, the average age of nurses was 55, indicating that many were reaching the age where they would retire in the next few years, potentially exacerbating the nursing shortage.
What steps have been taken to support nursing students and encourage more to enter the profession?
-Efforts include adding tutoring programs to help students graduate, doubling scholarships to attract more students, and working towards making undergraduate education free.
How does the use of technology in nursing care, such as virtual nursing units, benefit the profession?
-Technology in nursing care can help nurses stay in the profession by allowing them to use their knowledge and skills in a less physically demanding environment, which can improve work-life balance and mental well-being.
What is the outlook for the nursing profession in terms of demand and workforce challenges?
-The nursing profession faces a significant demand for new nurses, with a nationwide shortage and the need for nearly half a million additional nurses in the next two years. Challenges include an aging workforce, burnout, and the need for more nursing faculty to educate future nurses.

Outlines

00:00

🏥 Nursing Crisis and Innovative Solutions

This paragraph discusses the critical situation where nearly a third of nurses in the country are considering quitting, which would significantly impact patients and hospitals. It introduces a series about efforts to address this issue, titled 'Critical Care: The Future of Nursing.' The narrative focuses on Ashley, a nurse at Houston Methodist Hospital, who shares her experiences during the pandemic's peak and how it influenced her decision to stay in the field. The segment also highlights the hospital's innovative approach to nursing care through a virtual nursing unit, which allows for remote patient care and has helped to alleviate the workload of bedside nurses.

05:01

📉 Nationwide Nursing Shortage and Education

This paragraph delves into the nationwide nursing shortage, with a projected shortfall of nearly half a million nurses in the next two years. It discusses the impact of the pandemic on the average age of nurses and the subsequent retirements, leading to a higher demand for new nurses. The decline in nursing students since the pandemic is also addressed, with strategies implemented by educational institutions to support current students and attract new ones, such as tutoring programs and increased scholarships. The paragraph further explores the challenges of nursing faculty shortages and the implications for the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions to retain nurses and improve the profession's appeal to the next generation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Nurse Shortage

Nurse shortage refers to the insufficient number of nursing professionals available to meet the healthcare demands of a population. In the context of the video, it highlights the critical issue of a significant number of nurses considering leaving the profession, which would severely impact patient care and hospital operations. The pandemic has exacerbated this problem, with many nurses experiencing burnout and seeking other opportunities, leading to a nationwide shortage of nearly half a million nurses over the next two years.

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It is often associated with feelings of cynicism, detachment, and a lack of accomplishment. In the video, nurses experienced burnout during the pandemic's height due to the intense workload, emotional toll, and the constant battle against COVID-19, leading some to consider leaving the nursing profession.

💡Virtual Nursing

Virtual nursing is the provision of nursing care and services through telehealth technologies, allowing nurses to monitor and assist patients remotely. This approach can improve patient care by providing direct care from a distance, reducing the physical burden on bedside nurses and increasing efficiency in healthcare delivery. In the video, virtual nursing is showcased as a solution to help address the nursing shortage and burnout by allowing nurses like Ashley to offer patient care from afar, thus balancing their professional skills with personal life and mental well-being.

💡Staffing Crisis

Staffing crisis in healthcare refers to a situation where there is an insufficient number of healthcare professionals to provide adequate care to patients. This can lead to longer wait times, reduced quality of care, and increased stress on the remaining staff. The video discusses the staffing crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, where the demand for nursing staff outstripped the available workforce, leading to emotional, spiritual, and physical tolls on healthcare workers.

💡Travel Assignments

Travel assignments for nurses refer to temporary positions in different healthcare facilities, often in areas with staffing shortages. Nurses on travel assignments typically receive higher pay than their regular positions. In the video, it is mentioned that many nurses left their permanent jobs for travel assignments due to the better pay, contributing to the staffing crisis in their home institutions.

💡Flexible Schedules

Flexible schedules refer to work arrangements that allow employees to choose their working hours within certain limits, providing more control over their work-life balance. In the context of the video, hospitals like Houston Methodist have started offering flexible schedules to nurses as a strategy to retain staff and address the nursing shortage. This approach can help reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction among healthcare professionals.

💡Staff Turnover

Staff turnover refers to the rate at which employees leave a company and need to be replaced. High staff turnover can indicate problems such as job dissatisfaction, poor working conditions, or better opportunities elsewhere. In the video, the pandemic led to a significant increase in nurse turnover, with nurses quitting at seven times the rate they were before COVID-19, putting additional strain on hospitals and patients.

💡Nursing Education

Nursing education encompasses the academic and practical training provided to individuals pursuing a career in nursing. It includes the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and values necessary for professional nursing practice. The video highlights the challenges in nursing education, such as the falling number of nursing students and a shortage of nursing faculty, which are critical issues in addressing the nationwide nursing shortage.

💡Loan Forgiveness

Loan forgiveness is a program or policy that allows individuals to have some or all of their student loans forgiven, typically in exchange for working in underserved areas or in certain professions. In the context of the video, loan forgiveness is one of the steps taken by the state to address the nursing shortage by making it more attractive for nurses to enter and stay in the profession.

💡Telehealth

Telehealth is the delivery of healthcare services using telecommunications technology. It allows patients to receive medical advice, monitoring, and care remotely, without the need for an in-person visit. In the video, telehealth is exemplified by virtual nursing, where nurses provide care and advice to patients through digital means, which is a response to the nursing shortage and a way to leverage technology to improve healthcare delivery.

💡Healthcare Workforce

The healthcare workforce refers to the collective group of professionals involved in the provision of healthcare services, including doctors, nurses, therapists, and support staff. The video emphasizes the strain on the healthcare workforce due to the pandemic, with a significant number of nurses quitting or seeking other opportunities, leading to a nationwide shortage and impacting the quality and availability of patient care.

Highlights

A recent survey found that nearly a third of nurses in the country are seriously considering quitting, which would be a devastating blow for patients and hospitals.

The series 'Critical Care: The Future of Nursing' is a collaboration with the Global Health Reporting Center, including support from the Pulitzer Center.

Ashley, a nurse at Houston Methodist Hospital, describes her current workload as busy but not as overwhelming as during the height of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, nurses experienced burnout, and some even fell ill or died from COVID-19 after treating patients.

The pandemic led to a significant increase in nurses quitting, with the rate being seven times higher than before COVID-19.

Over 100,000 nurses quit the profession during the pandemic in the U.S., and many others left for new jobs, straining hospitals.

Ashley, who was pregnant and overworked, considered leaving the profession but was persuaded to stay by her managers and directors.

Houston Methodist's Virtual Nursing Unit allows nurses to provide direct patient care remotely, which can give bedside nurses more time with their patients.

Each time a virtual nurse assists with intake or discharge, it gives 25-30 minutes back to the bedside nurse.

Houston Methodist has stopped hiring travel nurses and instead offers flexible schedules, more choice of assignments, and higher pay to retain staff.

Texas is projected to need an additional 57,000 registered nurses over the next decade to meet patient needs.

The nationwide nursing shortage is projected to reach nearly half a million nurses in the next two years.

Before the pandemic, the average age of nurses was 55, indicating a large number of retirements in the near future.

The number of nursing students has been falling since the early days of the pandemic, reaching a 10-year low.

Efforts to support nursing students include tutoring programs and increased scholarships.

There is a nationwide shortage of nursing faculty, leading to over 10,000 qualified applicants being turned away from nursing schools annually.

The overall nursing shortage is driving up salaries for nurses with advanced degrees, affecting both bedside care and teaching roles.

The next generation of nurses is expected to demand better working conditions and compensation.

Technology, such as virtual nursing, may help retain nurses in the profession by offering more flexible and balanced work options.

Transcripts

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How a Houston hospital reversed the trend of nurses leaving the profession

Takeaways

Q & A

What percentage of nurses are considering quitting according to the recent survey?

How has the pandemic affected the nursing profession in terms of staff burnout?

What was the rate at which nurses were quitting before the pandemic, and how did it change during the pandemic?

What measures has Houston Methodist Hospital taken to rebuild its nursing staff?

How does the virtual nursing unit at Houston Methodist Hospital contribute to patient care?

What is the projected shortfall of registered nurses in the next two years across the U.S.?

What challenges are nursing schools facing in terms of faculty and applicants?

How has the pandemic impacted the average age of nurses and the potential for retirements?

What steps have been taken to support nursing students and encourage more to enter the profession?

How does the use of technology in nursing care, such as virtual nursing units, benefit the profession?

What is the outlook for the nursing profession in terms of demand and workforce challenges?