Content area
Full text
Targeted News Service
WASHINGTON, March 15 -- The International Council of Nurses has issued a 5-page white paper entitled: "The Global Nursing shortage and Nurse Retention".
* * *
KEY MESSAGES
* 90% of NNAs are somewhat or extremely concerned that heavy workloads, and insufficient resourcing, burnout and stress related to the pandemic response are the drivers resulting in increased numbers of nurses who have left the profession, and increased reported rates of intention to leave this year and when the pandemic is over.
* 20% of ICN's National Nurses Associations (NNAs) reported an increased rate of nurses leaving the profession in 2020 and studies from associations around the world have consistently highlighted increased intention to leave rates.
* More than 70% of NNAs report that their countries are committed to increase the number of nursing students, but highlight that when this happens there will still be a three-to-four-year gap before new graduate nurses are ready to enter the workforce. During that time, they fear an exodus of experienced nurses.
* Due to existing nursing shortages, the ageing of the nursing workforce and the growing COVID-19 effect, ICN estimates up to 13 million of nurses will be needed to fill the global nurse shortage gap in the future.
* It is imperative that governments act now to mitigate the risk of increased turnover among nurses and improve nurse retention.
BACKGROUND
One year on from the start of the pandemic, COVID-19 has changed the world and continues to impact our daily lives. The pandemic has highlighted gaps in healthcare systems, and the health workforce has been disproportionately exposed to the virus.
Throughout this past year, nurses have shown their willingness and flexibility in adapting to new ways of working. Millions of COVID-19 infections have been reported among healthcare workers globally, and tragically, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has recorded nearly 3,000 COVID-19 related deaths among nurses in 60 countries. It is likely that the true figure is much higher, but the number of infections and deaths among healthcare workers remains impossible to assess with any accuracy because many systems and countries have not been monitoring this critical issue. In the long-term, the impacts of COVID-19, including 'long COVID' and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), could have...