HAMPTON ROADS, Va. – The demand for registered nurses is expected to rise as people grow older.
In the coming years, however, Hampton Roads and the country could see a shortage of nurses that could put a strain on the healthcare system.
It might be no surprise that economists say burnout and stress from the COVID-19 Pandemic are just some of the reasons why not as many people are becoming nurses or quitting the profession altogether.
Registered nurse Patrick Willis is hopeful more people will go into the profession.
He made a big career switch after his five-year-old girl went through a series of traumatic medical scares. Willis now works at the inpatient rehabilitation unit at CHKD after getting his diploma a year ago.
“I really felt like this was a place I could make a big difference in people’s lives,” Willis said.
The profession is currently facing a shortfall that’s only expected to get worse.
The recent State of the Region report, written by ODU Economics Professor Dr. Bob McNab, projects that over the next decade the demand for RNs in Hampton Roads will likely outpace the supply.
“This is going to strain the healthcare system in the region – a region where we already have significant healthcare inequities,” McNab said.
In the coming years, McNab said Hampton Roads could see an average shortfall of 139 nurses a year, potentially creating a rise in so-called “nurse deserts” in rural areas where some rural areas of the region might not have immediate access to a registered nurse.
Nationwide, economists are predicting a shortage of about 29,000 nurses a year.
McNab, however, says investing in the profession, improving recruitment and retention, and increasing the number of nursing programs could help close the gap.
“We could invest in nurses,” he said. “We could expand our education capacity. We could compensate nurses to be preceptors, that is mentors of young, new nurses, so we get more nurses through the pipeline to care for our aging population.”
As for Willis, and many other nurses who work long hours, he says it’s critical to know your limits to avoid burnout and take care of yourself first.
The best part of the job, he says is bringing hope and healing to families.
“It’s an amazing joy every day helping people kind of in their most difficult, darkest seasons being hospitalized for various reasons,” said Willis. “We get to see them get stronger, get healthier and get back to their lives. It’s really rewarding. I love it.”
