Arizona is bracing for a major nurse shortage, with a projected deficit of over 28,000 registered nurses by 2025 – the most severe shortfall in the nation, according to a health care report by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. 12News underscored efforts by local health care providers such as Abrazo Health to combat the crisis through innovative recruiting techniques and training programs.
Health care providers are going to extra lengths to find and train new talent. "You’re supposed to love your career," Wendy Fitzpatrick, recruitment supervisor for Abrazo Health, told 12News. Abrazo has been actively hiring, offering tuition reimbursement, and hosting regular hiring events every 90 days to fill the ranks rapidly and efficiently.
This shortage is partly attributed to Arizona's rapidly expanding population and a medical field that's growing faster than educational institutions can keep up with. "We can’t graduate people fast enough... the schools have wait lists, sometimes it’s up to two years," Fitzpatrick stated. The hiring events have had some success, with new hires like Jordyn Younge and Vincent Maldonado quickly finding positions within the health system, as reported by 12News.
Meanwhile, a statewide effort known as the Arizona Transition to Practice program intends to provide fresh support and guidance for nurses emerging from academic life into the professional realm. The program, launched by the State of Arizona and the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association late last year, aims to help new nurses transition and to retain them within the state. "Developing a standardized Arizona Transition to Practice Program will create an environment where our nurses gain the confidence, competence and resiliency they need to provide the best possible quality care to our communities," announced Ann-Marie Alameddin, president and CEO of Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, according to azfamily.com. The program is key, as new nurses are acquitting their roles at hospitals within their first year now more than ever before.
The challenge of vacancies in hospitals is compounding as nurses take on roles in less traditional settings, creating a strain on hospital personnel and patient care. "The nurses who are there need to care for more patients to cover the gap," Heidi Sanborn, president of the Arizona Nurses Association, mentioned in a statement obtained by azfamily.com. Addressing these issues, Arizona's robust response continues to fight on two fronts – recruiting new staff and strengthening the existing workforce.
