The Nursing Shortage Hits Ohio

There’s been a nursing shortage in the United States for years, though depending on where you live, you may not have known. The nursing shortage is nationwide, but it’s not everywhere. Some cities benefit from having multiple nursing schools or programs within their vicinity, along with the facilities to place new nursing grads. So any “nursing shortage” headlines will read differently based on where you live.

Ohio residents living in Cincinnati are impervious to the nursing shortage. There are three major universities alone in Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University – each has their own renowned nursing program. And that’s not even counting the numerous hospital nursing programs as well. Cincinnati isn’t starved for nurses because of its proximity to major nursing pipelines.

That’s not universal for all of Ohio. It’s a different reality just three hours north up I-71. Cleveland may be known nation-wide for its renowned Cleveland Clinic and exceptional healthcare service, but some new information forecasts a major shortage of nurses on the horizon.

According to News Net 5, there’s already a shortage of 750 nurses in Cleveland. But the Center For Health Affairs in Cleveland tracked the number of nurses needed in the future, and that number balloons. The agency projects a nursing shortage of some 3,500 nurses by 2020 in Northeast Ohio counties.

The article cites what’s widely referred to as the “Silver Tsunami,” an on-coming wave of retiring nurses. “The number one reason is because of the aging population here in Northeast Ohio, as people age, the demand for health care continues to grow exponentially,” said Lisa Anderson with the Center for Health Affairs.

The agency says the average age of RN’s in Northeast Ohio is 49 years old.

Facilities in search of high-caliber nursing talent will face a mountainous recruitment task. Hefty sign-on and retention bonuses are becoming the norm. But the fact is, there just isn’t enough nursing talent to satisfy the demand right now.

More healthcare providers are considering alternative staffing options. Options like international healthcare talent or travel nursing are rapidly growing in popularity. In fact, the demand for travel nursing has hit a 20-year high. While it’s a short-term fix, travel nurses are some of the most experienced, well-rounded professionals who make an immediate impact on every assignment.

But deciding which agency to work with can be hard, especially when there are so many clamoring for your business. There are some important distinguishing details you should know about when making your selection. Click the button below for more information on how to select a travel nursing provider.