AHA report urges healthcare systems to be creative with staffing solutions

Editor's Note

Healthcare systems need to find innovative solutions to address the nursing shortage, according to a 2023 report from American Hospital Association (AHA), reports December 9 Becker’s Hospital Review.

The report noted that the US nursing workforce lost over 100,000 people within the last 3 years, which is the largest decline in 40 years. The challenge remains and worker turnover continues due to inflationary pressures, morale and other issues, the AHA said in the report.

The AHA recommended three ideas to address these trends:

• Reconnect to purpose: Allow employees to feel valued and heard.
• Provide support, training and technology: Safely and effectively bring care to patients in order to thrive in a variety of environments and to build a more equitable healthcare system.
• Recruit innovatively, invest in retention and build a robust pipeline: Invest in training and education programs, as well as nontraditional support, such as providing affordable housing and child care.

"Building a thriving health care workforce that continues to put high-quality, compassionate care at the center of all they do requires commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders at the individual, organizational and community level," the report stated.

Healthcare systems will continue to face this challenge and there needs to be multiple groups who will work together to find the best way to not only recruit, but retain good workers, the AHA concluded.

Read the AHA report