Trends in Healthcare Staffing

In recent years, the American healthcare workforce has been fundamentally reshaped in multiple ways. More than ever before, hospitals, health systems, and post-acute facilities are facing a severe staff shortage, exacerbated strongly by the COVID-19 pandemic [1]. Therefore, especially as it relates to the nursing workforce [2], healthcare staffing ratios has been an important question in the industry, with trends in that arena highlighting changes in the practice of medicine.

Today, one of the largest trends in the healthcare staffing landscape is change, broadly. The industry is undergoing significant transformations, and a variety of factors influence the way healthcare institutions approach staffing as a result [3]. First, there is a growing demand for staff in healthcare institutions. As the global population continues to grow, age, and suffer from chronic diseases, the demand for healthcare services continues to rise. This has resulted in a dire need for physicians, nurses, and administrative staff. Second, the demand for specialists in fields like telemedicine, data analytics, personalized medicine, and genomics continues to soar. Healthcare institutions continue to seek out professionals with expertise in these areas in order to provide cutting-edge care. Third, the integration of technology into healthcare services has resulted in a need for professionals who are skilled in using digital health tools and electronic medical records. Finally, in the last decade, remote and flexible work is on the rise, partially as a result of the pandemic, reflecting trends in other industries that are being reshaped by digital work and the gig economy. Travel nursing and temporary assignments are becoming increasingly common as healthcare professionals continue to explore these opportunities in order to be in control of their schedules and gain diverse healthcare provision experiences.

Despite the growing demand for healthcare services, another one of the major trends in healthcare staffing is shortages. Many regions continue to suffer from lack of skilled healthcare professionals. These shortages disproportionately affect rural areas, and especially nursing staff. Large surveys of over 100 healthcare executives across the United States have been carried out in order to assess the main factors influencing hospital staffing decisions. Data revealed that healthcare facilities grappling with workforce shortages are seeking out alternative approaches to enhance recruitment and retention rates in order to address deficits in staffing without financial strain [1]. In particular, many are prioritizing recruiting nurses. Indeed, a number of studies have shown that higher levels of nurse staffing are associated with improved patient outcomes and lower mortality rates [4–6]. Common strategies to try and recruit nurses are: using alternative staffing methods, strategically leveraging education technology (EdTech) tools, and offering flexible work options [1]. In addition, many healthcare institutions are offering incentives including but not limited to sign-on bonuses and professional development opportunities [3].

Data-driven decision-making is also changing healthcare staffing. Predictive analytics are being harnessed in order to best anticipate staffing needs, optimize scheduling, and identify potential remaining gaps. Trends to incorporate technology into different healthcare settings may benefit healthcare staffing as well.

Historically, targeted legislation has been used to improve healthcare staffing ratios. However, mandated nurse staffing ratios without any mechanisms to help achieve targeted ratios may force hospitals to make tradeoffs in other services or investments, resulting in unintended negative consequences for patients. Relatedly, nurse staffing indeed clearly influences the outcomes of hospitalist-led quality initiatives, although these effects warrant further investigation [7].

References

1. Healthcare Workforce Trends 2023: Key Factors Shaping Staffing Decisions. Available at: https://www.shiftmed.com/blog/healthcare-workforce-trends-2023/. (Accessed: 9th December 2023)

2. How Nurse Staffing Models Have Evolved: 6 Post-Covid Trends – CareerStaff Unlimited. Available at: https://www.careerstaff.com/healthcare-staffing-blog/healthcare-staffing/how-nurse-staffing-models-have-evolved/. (Accessed: 9th December 2023)

3. Navigating the Future of Healthcare Staffing: Trends and Insights | LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-future-healthcare-staffing-trends-insights/. (Accessed: 9th December 2023)

4. Aiken, L. H., Clarke, S. P., Sloane, D. M., Sochalski, J. & Silber, J. H. Hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. JAMA 288, 1987–1993 (2002). doi: 10.1001/jama.288.16.1987.

5. Needleman, J., Buerhaus, P., Mattke, S., Stewart, M. & Zelevinsky, K. Nurse-staffing levels and the quality of care in hospitals. N. Engl. J. Med. 346, 1715–1722 (2002). doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa012247.

6. De Cordova, P. B., Jones, T., Riman, K. A., Rogowski, J. & McHugh, M. D. Staffing Trends in Magnet and Non-Magnet Hospitals After State Legislation. J. Nurs. Care Qual. 35, 323 (2020). doi: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000479.

7. Conway, P. H., Konetzka, R. T., Zhu, J., Volpp, K. G. & Sochalski, J. Nurse staffing ratios: Trends and policy implications for hospitalists and the safety net. J. Hosp. Med. (2008). doi:10.1002/jhm.314