Maryland hospitals are struggling to cope with a significant shortage of nurses and the problem is certain to get worse if steps aren’t taken to recruit newcomers to the profession and retain existing workers, according to a new report.
The 2022 State of Maryland’s Health Care Workforce Report, released by the Maryland Hospital Association on Monday, found that one of every four nursing positions is vacant.
“Maryland hospitals face the most critical staffing shortage in recent memory,” according to the association. “High staff turnover, shifting care delivery models, and an insufficient talent pipeline are pushing the workforce to an unsustainable point.”
Maryland is currently short 5,000 full-time registered nurses and 4,000 licensed practical nurses. If steps aren’t taken to lure new workers and reduce the number of nurses leaving the profession, the state could see shortages two or three times larger than current levels by 2035, according to the report.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Bruce DePuyt over at Maryland Matters
