Nursing Staff Shortage, Driven By Pandemic, Likely To Get Much Worse

North Carolina Health News: Pandemic Exacerbated Looming Nursing Shortage, Burnout 
“Family and friends say I look exhausted all of the time.” “Some days I absolutely dread going to work.” “I started having to take an (antidepressant) in order to function without breaking down every day.” These were just some of the dozens of responses to an anonymous survey in which the North Carolina Nurses Association queried registered nurses across the state on how they were doing two years into the pandemic. The survey, conducted last month, found that nurses continue to be affected by the effects of the pandemic. Many of the 229 nurses who responded to the questionnaire described themselves as experiencing burnout. (Hoban, 3/2)

AP: Senate-Passed Bill Aims To Overcome Nursing Shortage 
The Kentucky Senate took aim Tuesday at overcoming a chronic nursing shortage by boosting enrollment in nursing schools and luring out-of-state nurses into the state’s workforce. The measure cleared the Senate on a 36-0 vote and advances to the House. (Schreiner, 3/1)

In related news about nurses and nursing homes —

Cincinnati Enquirer: Cooper's Trace Skilled Nursing Center On U.S. Most Troubled List
A Blue Ash nursing center has been added by the federal government to the list of the worst facilities in the nation when it comes to quality of care. The goal of the list is to make poor-performing nursing homes improve or face the possibility of being kicked out of Medicaid and Medicare, an economic death sentence. But Cooper's Trace Skilled Nursing Center now is on the list for the second time since 2011, although the ownership has changed since the original listing. (Sutherland, 3/2)

The Boston Globe: Nurses At Roger Williams Medical Center Vote To Join Union
The nurses at Roger Williams Medical Center voted Tuesday to join the United Nurses and Allied Professionals, the state’s largest health care union. The nurses voted by a 2-1 margin in favor of joining the union. Polls closed at 4 p.m. The vote adds about 220 new union members, according to spokesman Brad Dufault. “The 2-1 margin of victory indicates deep dissatisfaction with Prospect CharterCare’s management,” said Lynn Blais, UNAP’s president. “This victory comes on the heels of hundreds of other CharterCare employees who have voted to join the UNAP over the last few years.” (Gagosz, 3/1)

Dallas Morning News: UTA Launches $4 Million Center To Improve Health Care In Rural Texas
The University of Texas at Arlington has launched the Center for Rural Health and Nursing to improve health care in rural Texas. Funded by a $4 million Texas legislative appropriation, the center is aimed at improving both rural nursing education and the health of rural residents. UTA’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation will run the center. Rural Americans face numerous health disparities compared to their urban counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, respiratory disease and stroke. (Bahari, 3/1)

Miami Herald: Rules For Visiting Florida Nursing Homes May Soon Change 
Mary Shannon Daniel reads almost every comment in the Facebook support group. It’s meant for Florida families attempting to visit loved ones in long-term care, and the posts pile up quickly — especially in the last few months during the omicron wave of the coronavirus. “We haven’t seen our loved ones in 2 weeks.” “My dad is locked down as we speak. … No visits in, no visits out.” “It’s been over a month due to positive cases.” She answers all of the posts she can, informing families about current federal guidance that says families should be allowed to visit facilities, COVID-19 outbreak or not. (Critchfield and Wilson, 3/2)

And more about health care personnel —

Modern Healthcare: Primary Care Physician Turnover Costs Nearly $1 Billion Per Year, Study Finds
The U.S. healthcare industry annually spends $979 million on turnover among primary care physicians, a new study by the American Medical Association found. Of that, $260 million, or 27%, is tied to burnout-related turnover. Of the 11,339 primary care physicians included in the study, 3,006 left because of burnout, the study found. "Turnover of primary care physicians is costly to public and private payers, yet there is an opportunity to decrease unnecessary healthcare expenditures by reducing burnout-related turnover," Dr. Christine Sinsky, the study's lead author and AMA vice president of professional satisfaction, said in a news release. "Physician burnout is preventable and payers, healthcare organizations and others have a vested interest in making meaningful changes to reduce physician burnout." (Christ, 3/1)

AP: Missouri Gets New Health Chief After Backlash Over Last One 
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Tuesday named a longtime state health official as the agency’s new “acting director,” a designation that will allow her to begin work immediately without going through a potentially grueling Senate confirmation process that derailed the Republican governor’s last health chief. Parson picked Paula Nickelson, who has served in the Department of Health and Senior Services for more than 22 years, as the agency’s new leader. He said the acting title could last indefinitely, potentially through the remaining three years of his term as governor. (Lieb, 3/1)

Chicago Tribune: Dr. Ngozi Ezike Leaving Illinois Public Health Post 
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who helped guide the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, will leave her post as Illinois’ top public health official days after the second anniversary of a pandemic being declared, a significant departure as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration attempts to move on from coronavirus restrictions. Ezike joined the administration in early 2019 as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, typically a low-profile, bureaucratic role. But she became a familiar — and, for many, calming — presence on TV and computer screens in homes across Illinois in spring 2020 as she appeared with Pritzker at his daily briefings during the early days of the pandemic. (Petrella and Spaulding, 3/1)