Mississippi Today last week reported chief nursing officers (CNOs) at 36 Mississippi hospitals sent a letter to Gov. Tate Reeves and other state leaders pleading for state help in maintaining nursing staff. The CNOs predict current staff shortages will result in closing more than 500 acute care hospital beds over the upcoming months. On Oct. 31, contracts expired for federally funded nurses sent to Mississippi during the delta wave of COVID-19. During a press conference, the governor said he would continue talking with lawmakers about creating a staff retention program, but his office did not respond to requests for comment regarding specific measures the state might take. (Mississippi Today article, 11/5/21)
