Agencies Get Creative to Solve Healthcare Worker Shortage
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tight labor market and low workforce participation rates – leaving many businesses scrambling to hire workers – are hallmarks of the economic landscape of the pandemic era .
And no industry is feeling it more than healthcare . “ I ’ ve never seen a time like this ,” said Robin King , CEO of CareerSource Flagler Volusia . “ I think that the healthcare sector is more significant than the others not only because of [ today ’ s skill gap ; in ] the future , there [ won ’ t be ] enough spots in the schools to train as many as we ’ ll need .”
Robin King
King said her agency has worked closely with Halifax Health to attract more people to healthcare professions .
“ We worked on a campaign together ,” she said . “ We did it for all healthcare providers , to create awareness of all the different types of occupations in the industry .”
King said while the shortage of trained nurses is “ kind of the face everyone sees ” when they are in the hospital or clinic , there [ is ] a range of career options where the need is high , including orderlies , surgical technicians , phlebotomists and others .
“ I think as a result of the virus , we are definitely going to need more respiratory therapists ,” she said .
Adding urgency to the need is the demographic realities of Florida , with more retirees moving to the Sunshine State every year . King said it isn ’ t just expanded training programs in colleges
by Aaron London
and universities that are needed but also greater availability of field work opportunities as part of that training .
“ All the occupations require an externship and there are only so many places where those can happen ,” she said . “ If more businesses were involved , that could be a solution .”
King said a change in the perspectives on careers from those just entering the workforce could also help swell the ranks of healthcare workers .
“ The next generation of workers wants a purpose and they bring { their own } purpose with them ,” she said . “ This is the opportunity we have to say to those who want to work with a purpose that there is no place you can work with more purpose than healthcare .”
King said the long-term solution to the healthcare worker shortage “ is not a one size fits all ” proposition .
“ We have to meet each person where they are at and help them take their next step ,” she said . And that means trying new ideas and looking for different solutions .
“ It is a multi-pronged approach to all these occupations ,” she said .
At CareerSource Northern Florida , CEO Bruce Ferguson said the healthcare worker shortage is not new .
“ What the hospitals will tell you is there has been a shortage for a long time , especially in nursing and it is more acute now ,” he said .
Bruce Ferguson
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