The international theme for the 2021 “Year of The Nurse” is “A Voice to Lead-A Vision for the Future of Healthcare. “

Strength in numbers

Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States. There are approximately 4 million nurses total. The average age of nurses is 47.9 years old. However, 77.3 percent of nurses are Caucasian and 9.6% are male.

According to the National State Board Of Nursing Statistics (2018), you can find most nurses working in the hospital setting 59.9 percent, 15.6 percent in ambulatory settings, 16.2 percent work in ‘other’ settings, and 16.6 percent have no direct patient contact.

Looking into the future of nursing

There’s no doubt in any nurses mind that healthcare in the United States needs an overhaul. The COVID-19 pandemic caused an already inflamed system to burst like a huge abscess. Frontline nurses working at the bedside suffered personal protective equipment shortages (PPE), burnout, and some even lost their lives.

It’s up to nurses to challenge hospital administrators and politicians regarding their healthcare policies and hospital standards in order to create a better future for safe and efficient patient care. Americans deserve a healthcare system that promises a better tomorrow that does not repeat the catastrophic pandemic crisis of 2020 and acknowledges the value of nurses.

The National Academy of Medicine Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 explores the roles of nurses, responsibilities and significant education changes to meet the demand for care created by healthcare reform which seeks to improve America’s complex healthcare system.

Trends in nursing on the horizon

Bachelors-in-Science to practice nursing (BSN)

New York in 2018 passed legislation that all nurses are required to earn a BSN with in 10 years of becoming licensed. Many states are planning to follow this trend.

Online education programs

The popularity of online nursing degree programs sprouted with COVID-19. Online nursing programs allow nurses to obtain higher degrees in nursing education while continuing to work as a nurse. An increase of online nurse practitioner programs, post masters and doctoral programs are predicted to flourish in 2021.

Shortages in Physicians

A physician shortage is predicted to continue. In 2018, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), reported that there were 248,000 licensed to practice in the United States. More and more hospitals are closing in rural areas. Family Nurse Practitioners are useful in rural areas where there is a growing population and lack of physicians.

Full practice authority for Nurse Practitioners

Both the national academy of medicine and the national council for state boards of nursing are urging states to allow nurse practitioners the authority to practice independently. Currently, 26 states allow nurse practitioners full practice authority.

Nurses leaving the profession

Several nurses are struggling with burnout which are causing them to leave the healthcare profession. Hospitals across the United States are suffering nursing shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many nurses are blaming lack of support from hospital management and administrators as well as a lack of focus on what nurses need in order to provide safe and efficient patient care.

Nurses creating innovative paths in nursing through Locum Tenens

Most hospitals lost about 30 percent of their nursing staff to travel nurse jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 cases surged, so did travel nurse jobs with over 31, 000 openings. Many travel nurse agencies were offering nurses crisis pay of almost $10,000 per week. Staffing demands for travel nurses increased over 44 percent compared to the previous year.

Locum Tenens means ‘place holder’ in Latin. One fills an office for a certain amount of time. Locum tenen assignments as well as travel nursing assignments have the potential of turning into full time positions. Locums positions are great for nurses who want to travel or stay local and experience a variety of different neighborhoods and diverse socioeconomic patient populations in order to broaden their scope of practice.

There’s no doubt that travel nursing and locum tenems work offer nurses a better work life balance. Nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, and Certified Nurse Anesthetists can plan their schedules and blocks of time off for higher education, travel, family planning and enjoy their life with ease.

Medcare staffing offers nurses and advanced nurse practitioners contract and temporary assignements with full coverage of medical malpractice insurance. Click here to learn more and speak with a recruiter today.

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Mental Health Concerns Among Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare providers have been bombarded with many mental health issues during the COVID -19 crisis. Some of these include social isolation, acute stress disorder, depression, alcohol abuse and the fear of death. These mental health concerns all add an enormous stress on the body further decreasing it’s immune response.

Those Healthcare providers who have been coming in close contact with COVID-19 patients and are potentially exposed to the virus may exhibit symptoms of PTSD due to the potential for increased illness, death and supply shortages. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a chronic psychiatric illness that develops subsequent to experiencing a significant traumatic event. Studies show that those healthcare providers who have decreased social support are more susceptible to PTSD. People living with PTSD commonly start to manifest a dysregulation in the systems that regulate the stress response. This can lead to somatic inflammatory response and autoimmune diseases.

Healthcare providers tend to be selfless and put all others first. But, COVID-19 has sounded the alarms on personal health. It’s a huge wake up call for everyone to starry healthy.

Focus On Self-Assessment

As healthcare providers, we typically assess our patients before we give them a diagnosis. It’s important to take pause and complete a mini health assessment on yourself and ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you feeling overly fatigued?
2. Has your mood taken a vast shift from the normal?
3. Are you experiencing feelings of guilt, anger or shame?
4. Have you lost interest in pleasurable activities?
5. Are you having trouble sleeping and or experiencing recurrent nightmares?

If your answer was yes to any of the above, then you need to stop and listen to your body and follow these 5 important tips:

1.Improve Your Diet And Boost Your Immune System

The food and supplements you put in your body can make a dramatic difference in your mental health as well as your body’s immune response. Chronic stress will decrease your body’s immune system, further making you susceptible to disease. Decreasing caffeine and alcohol intake will decrease your inflammatory response helping your immune system to function better.

Increase vitamin C through citrus fruits or supplements (75 mg/day for women 90 mg/ day for men). Eat a diet rich with foods like broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, spinach almonds, papaya, kiwi, poultry and shell fish. Decrease complex carbohydrates as well as limiting refined sugars. Getting enough vitamin D through diet and or sunlight is also important to mental health as low levels can cause depression, problems losing weight and bone loss. Supplementing with Zinc will boost your immune system and help fight of colds.

2. Exercise and Meditate

Another thing we take for granted is exercise. COVID-19 has shut down many gyms and exercise facilities around the country, but simple activities like walking, swimming, dancing and jumping rope can help boost your mood as well as keep the extra weight off. Meditating for 10-15 minutes a day is a great way to decrease stress as well as increasing mental focus.

3. Take Breaks While At Work

Yes, healthcare providers have a tendency of sometimes working straight through their shifts without taking any breaks. Breaks are crucial and, in many states, legally mandated for all healthcare providers. Make yourself a priority during your busy day and take a power nap or go for a walk. Make a point to get off all electronics for at least 10-15 minutes and regroup with yourself and get grounded. You’ll feel more energized and empowered to finish your day.

4. Phone A Friend

Technology has made communicating easy yet complex. Many of us quickly resort to texting when we want to communicate. But hearing someone’s voice and connecting with someone on the phone or through facetime, who will let you just vent while they simply listen can do volumes for your mental health.

When working in high stress environments, designating a friend who understands that sometimes you just need to vent and let the emotions out is key. Perhaps have a couple of designated friends that understand that you need to do this. If they are unavailable, sometimes just going to your local coffee shop, or supermarket and engaging in idle chit chat with another human being will also help. Many apps are available for mental health support as well as in person mental healthcare providers who can help you navigate through difficult situations.

5. Becoming Conscious Of Your World And Environment

It’s always best to be as conscious and aware of your present state as possible. When things get rough and or chaotic it’s a good practice to take stock of how much you have achieved in your life. Take a pause, be conscious of your surroundings, the present moment, and take a deep breath. Finding a creative outlet like painting, coloring, writing, playing music and or dancing can also help uplift your mood and disconnect from your work life.

We as humans have the ability to shift our moods and create our environments. Like Viktor Frankel wrote in ‘Mans Search For Meaning’ “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” You are the master of your universe and in charge of your own health and wellbeing. It’s up to you to focus on what keeps you healthy and able to function at your highest capacity. After all, your health is in your wealth!

If you are someone you love is thinking about committing suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for help 1-800-273-8255.

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!

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