Hawaii hospitals experience a nurse shortage as COVID-19 cases surges
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HONOLULU (KITV) — The Healthcare Association of Hawaii claims the state’s going through a nursing shortage. As COVID-19 cases surge, the industry is in desperate need of help. Language in Governor David Ige’s 12th emergency proclamation includes a waiver for recent nursing school graduates to work before they’re certified but duties would be more administrative than caring for patients.
The association reports 162 vacancies, most of them on Oahu and Maui.
“We’re exploring all avenue to get additional clinical staff. We’re looking at bringing registry on our own but the demand across the country for registry staff because we’re not the only state experiencing a surge,” Hilton Raethel, president, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, said.
Raethel believes the program would give graduates hands-on experience.
“The supervisor would be directing the activities and making sure any activities that less qualified nurse is doing within the scope of practice,” he said.
The Hawaii Nurses Association represents about 4,000 workers, president Daniel Ross believes the shortage will only get worse.
“Hospitals have been trying to increase the staffing when caring for the COVID patients. All those things put together, we’re already dealing with shortages, shifts are running short, nurses are picking up extra shifts,” Ross said.
During certain shifts, Ross claims one nurse cares for up to five patients at a time.
“You can have multiple patients needing immediate intervention simultaneously and somebody’s going to be left and have to wait. You just see more and more problems,” Ross said.
Hospitals are nearly overwhelmed because of the coronavirus he says, whether certified or not, more nurses on the job would be a boost for the industry. Ross also says there’s nurse certified and ready to work right now but most new ones lack proper work experience, some on the job training could help with that.
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