COVID-19 has become a negative force around the world, and it’s affected many industries. The healthcare industry is one of them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will generate roughly 2.6 million opportunities in the healthcare sector by 2030. That’s a lot of healthcare professionals.
In the wake of COVID-19, the demand for nurses has skyrocketed. With every day that passes, more and more people are being hospitalized as they develop complications from COVID-19. To meet this growing demand, hospitals have been hiring thousands of new nurses and other healthcare professionals in an effort to provide care for patients across the country.
Given this growing demand, it comes as no surprise that many people are searching for a nursing degree online at this moment in time. There are options available to those who want to become nurses without going back to school full time or making a huge commitment. One of these options is post-master’s NP programs.
Post-master’s programs are more specialized than bachelor’s degrees, which means that your skillset will be valued by employers. This program also allows you to gain advanced practice certification, which means that you will be able to work as a nurse practitioner (NP) or clinical nurse specialist (CNS).
We’ll explore 4 reasons why COVID-19 augmented the demand for nurses:
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Increased Awareness About the Crucial Role of Nurses in Healthcare
Nurses play a crucial role in healthcare. They are the backbone of the medical industry, and they are responsible for providing patient care and keeping them healthy. However, the critical role of nurses has been misunderstood by the general public until recently.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased public awareness about the crucial role of nurses in healthcare, thus propelling the demand for this profession. There are many reasons why this is happening:
Nurses Are Now Seen as Heroes by the People
Nurses are no longer just seen as people who take care of patients; they are also considered heroes because they risked their lives to help others during the pandemic. In fact, many of them were forced to stay back despite being infected with the COVID-19 virus because there were not enough personnel to replace them. Their sacrifice is an example for many people who admire what these individuals did during those difficult times.
Nurses Have Become More Visible in Society
The media has done a great job at highlighting stories about nurses who have gone above and beyond their duties to save lives during this pandemic. This has made it easier for people to identify with these individuals and realize how important they are when it comes down to saving lives.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 194,500 job opportunities for registered nurses (RNs) are generated every year. The average salary of an RN is $77,600 per year, and it can go as high as $100,000 annually.
Growing Adoption of Telemedicine
In today’s world, technology is used everywhere. It has also become a part of our healthcare system. Telemedicine is one of the most important technologies in the field of health care. It helps physicians to treat their patients remotely without having to visit them physically. Nurses play a vital role in telemedicine as they are the ones who interact with patients and provide them with information about their treatment plan and its progress.
Nurses help physicians by providing them with feedback on patients’ conditions so that they can make informed decisions about future treatments. They also help patients understand their condition better by explaining things to them in simpler terms. Nurses help physicians by reminding them about medications or appointments too.
As per the Survey of Mckinsey, 58 percent of doctors think more highly of telehealth now than they did before COVID-19. In addition, 84 percent of doctors offered virtual visits as of April 2021, and 57 percent said they would prefer to keep doing so.
Pandemic Highlighted the Importance of Preventative Health Education
Nurses have always been the ones to take care of patients, but they’re also a crucial part of their health education. The pandemic highlighted the importance of preventative health education, and nurses play a critical role in ensuring that their patients understand how to stay healthy.
Nurses provide a range of services in the areas of wellness, disease prevention, and health promotion. They also educate patients about their own personal health care needs and how to access services as needed.
According to the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NPNP), nurses educate children and families about topics like nutrition, exercise, safety, and hygiene. Nurses can also help parents develop plans for providing care for their children when they are unable to do so themselves during an emergency situation like an outbreak or pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nurses are trusted by their patients and have a direct line of communication with them. They are also able to educate patients about how they can take actions that will help prevent spreading or contracting the virus.
Shortage of Nurses During the Global Pandemic
Even though there was a shortage of over 50,000 nurses in the UK prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the healthcare system is still far from filling that gap. According to a Nursing Times survey published in January 2021, 80% of nurses believe that the significant workforce shortage is endangering patient safety.
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has had a major impact on the demand for nurses. The shortage of nurses during the pandemic is likely to drive their demand in the upcoming years. The shortage of nurses has been due to a number of factors, including:
- Increased hospital admissions requiring more intensive care
- High staff turnover due to burnout and emotional distress
- Higher workload due to increased patient numbers and complexity of care required
- Staff shortages in other healthcare professions such as doctors, therapists, midwives, and pharmacists
- Lower wages than other healthcare professionals in some countries
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, it is clear that the demand for nurses is on the rise. This is a result of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry and on patient care. Nurses are in high demand right now. They’re needed to care for the sick and injured, but they’re also needed to educate patients on the disease, its symptoms, and how to prevent it from spreading.
