Nurses rally for staffing solutions in California
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — Over 400 nurses and healthcare workers gathered at the California State Capitol last Tuesday, May 7th, to demand urgent action on the state’s nursing shortage crisis.
The rally, organized by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), aimed to draw attention to the critical staffing issues plaguing hospitals across the state.
Charmaine Morales, a registered nurse and president of UNAC/UHCP, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “We cannot ignore the impact of the education backlog on hospital staffing and patient outcomes.”
The union’s demands from elected officials
The union members called for immediate solutions to address the shortage. In a statement, the members outlined their needs from elected officials.
- Increase funding for nursing programs at community colleges in the state
- Expand access to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees
- Expand clinical training for nursing students
- Improve how the state provides information on safe staffing enforcement
How other U.S. health institutions are coping with the shortage
The U.S. healthcare workforce has been running dry due to the aging population of baby boomer nurses nearing retirement, coupled with high burnout rates among current nurses.
The Biden administration’s new nursing home staffing mandate, which requires nurses to work additional hours, has worsened the crisis. Only about 19% of U.S. hospitals can comply with the new ruling.
To continue tending to their patients, medical firms are leveraging the latest AI technologies to aid in administrative tasks such as patient inquiry, check-in, and discharge. These systems have enabled floor nurses to focus on patient care.
Additionally, hospitals have harnessed virtual nurses whose work involves ambient patient monitoring. New technologies have enabled these remote workers to communicate seamlessly with floor nurses.
