Fears and frustrations related to COVID-19 are driving nurses to leave their jobs in large numbers, exacerbating the existing recruitment challenges at hospitals. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses estimates two-thirds of its polled members have considered leaving their jobs during the pandemic. The gap between the workforce supply and demand extends to other hospital workers as well. In an interview with HealthLeaders Media, the chief financial officer of one health system called on the industry to find ways to make nurses’ jobs less burdensome and called on government to modify overtime rules to allow for more flexible scheduling. (HealthLeaders Media article, 11/11/21)
