June 8, 2001
AHA Survey Confirms Nursing Shortage and Identifies Critical Areas of Concern
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has published the results of a survey that confirms the existence of a nursing shortage among the nation's hospitals. Released on June 5, the study also indicates a significant shortage of pharmacists, radiology technologists, and lab technologists.
The AHA surveyed 715 hospitals and found that the shortage of hospital professionals is immediate, growing worse, and having a significant impact on the ability of hospitals to provide care. About 75 percent of the surveyed hospitals reported having more difficulty recruiting nurses in 2001 than in 2000, with about 41 percent experiencing subsequent overcrowding in their emergency departments. More than one-quarter of the hospitals have reduced the number of staffed beds and/or diverted emergency patients because of a workforce shortage. Twenty-two percent linked longer waiting times for surgery to a staffing shortage, with nearly 15 percent canceling inpatient and/or outpatient surgeries.
The survey claims that a competitive market is contributing to the workforce shortage. For example, 1998 data shows that mass merchandisers (e.g., Kmart, Wal-Mart) paid pharmacists an average of $69,964 while hospitals paid an average of $62,510. About 27 percent of surveyed hospitals reported paying bonuses to recruit workers.
The AHA concludes the survey by identifying key policy issues that must be addressed to alleviate the long-term undersupply of skilled and experienced workers. The issues include hospital payments, immigration restrictions, state and federal education funding, tax incentives, distance learning, minority healthcare workers, and training partnerships among hospitals, high schools, nursing schools, and other educational institutions.
Information: Christiane Mitchell, AAMC Office of Governmental Relations, 202-828-0526.
