Nursing shortages have impacted nearly every healthcare specialty since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as burnout has remained high among all medical professionals.
For ASCs, nurse staffing challenges can be even more prevalent, as they are forced to compete with large and wealthy hospital systems for labor.
Additionally, travel nursing jobs have proven more lucrative since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing in young graduates due to their flexibility and higher wages.
One Michigan ASC has seen an uptick in nurses switching to travel nursing positions or part-time work, due to a need for more flexibility as caretaking pressures grow outside of work.
Question: How has your practice been impacted by nursing shortages in the last three years?
Editor's note: Response has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Tina Piotrowski, BSN, RN. CEO of Copper Ridge Surgery Center (Traverse City, Mich.): In the past three years, we have seen a significant shift of RNs who needed to reduce their hours. Many full-time RNs dropped down to part time or pro re nata in response to daycare shortages, schools alternating between remote and in-seat learning and overall challenges in balancing family and work during the pandemic. We have also experienced the loss of some RNs to more lucrative travel positions, as have many ASCs.
In response, we have continued to be as accommodating and flexible as possible in helping our staff balance their work availability with their family needs. This has resulted in ongoing recruitment efforts to fill in the gaps, but we are fortunate that we have not had to lean on agency nurses. We are open to hiring new grads and providing on-the-job training, including in our perioperative 101 program to train operating room nurses. We have an incredible team of front-line supervisors and managers that make their departments a positive and supportive environment to work in. This, along with a robust benefit package, and our Newsweek top ASC recognition, has contributed to attracting some of the best talent in the region to our center.