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Most states across the U.S. are experiencing a nursing shortage. The shortages are typically related to a lack of pay, long shifts, dangerous working conditions, and a lack of available nurse faculty to train new nurses to enter the field to name a few. Before the pandemic, nursing shortages were already happening due to economic problems, nurse retirement, and increased demands for healthcare. The shortage became more noticeable during the pandemic because many nurses were already dealing with higher stress due to an increase in people who needed care and less personnel to meet their needs. The increased level of demand brought on by COVID-19 coupled with additional retirements has caused an increase in nurse burnout which has led to additional nurses deciding to leave the profession.
According to several sources, Georgia is projected to have the second-worst nursing shortage in the country over the next several years. One of the biggest factors in this trend is the fact that nurses in many parts of Georgia are not adequately compensated for the jobs that they are doing. In addition to low pay, nurses are often required to work in very unsafe conditions which has deterred available licensed practitioners from taking certain nursing positions. Nurses in some facilities were being subject to abusive and violent behavior so often that a bill was passed in 2023 known as the Safer Hospitals Act that provides for harsher penalties for individuals who commit aggravated assault and battery against healthcare workers. This bill has also made it possible for hospitals to employ their police force to help deal with violent patients.
An additional bill, HR 770, was recently introduced in Georgia to help with the nursing shortage. This bill would allow the University System of Georgia to offer nursing credit courses to students trained as combat medics in the military. Combat medics can bring critical and much-needed skills to the nursing field including an accelerated response to disaster situations and the efficient direction of resources to those in most need. Individuals served by this bill could potentially provide care to people in remote and underserved areas of the state. Similar bills have been passed and have seen success in other states so there is hope that this will pass in Georgia.
Be a Part of the Solution
To help assist with the growing need for nursing staff in Georgia, Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology now offers an Associate of Science in Nursing degree program. This program provides the training required to successfully become a registered nurse and obtain an entry-level position in a local hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility. Students have access to a state-of-the-art simulation lab for critical hands-on training that will equip them with the tools they need to succeed in the field. To find out more about this program check out our website or give us a call at 404-255-4500. We look forward to speaking with you.