Miami, FL, Friday, May 24, 2024 (By: Chris Rojas *). The crucial role played by nurses has been proven to be an asset to the American medical field and continues to foreshadow a positive future. Americas frontline caregivers are expected to bounce back to pre-covid levels despite experiencing an unprecedented shortage.
According to a Mercer University survey in 2020, nursing is one of the most trusted professions in America. The duties nurses embrace are anything but short sighted. Nurses assist hospitals in preserving lives, observing and monitoring patient status, supporting and advocating for patients, managing patient care, and providing additional essential services.
The importance of nurses in America does not end there. Nurses play a crucial role in the American healthcare system, serving as frontline caregivers, patient advocates, educators, and coordinators of care. Their significance stems from various factors that highlight their indispensable contribution to the healthcare industry.
Aside from providing essential care and life-saving services, nurses serve as educators and informers. Nurses play a pivotal role in patient education by explaining treatment plans, medications, procedures, and health conditions in a way that is easily understandable to patients. They empower individuals to take charge of their health by providing them with essential information and resources to make informed decisions about their well-being.
During the widespread Covid 19 pandemic, nurses faced unprecedented threats to their personal wellbeing. Long hours, countless lethal obstacles, medical mysteries.
Yet despite the hurdles, nurse practitioners across the country turned a blind eye to the burden and saved countless lives. A debt that cannot be repaid.
In the midst of the pandemic, nurses across the country saw over 2.8 million admitted patients according to the NHI. Nurses worked tirelessly to ensure that patients would be able to return their homes and families without endangering the rest of the population.
During 2018-2019, nurses nationwide treated over 380,000 patients admitted with the influenza virus. Nurses assisted in the prevention of disease progression amongst the admitted patients.
In 2024, America’s frontline caregivers have suffered a devastating blow. Resignations among nurse practitioners have surged over recent years. Consequently, to the pandemic, over 100,000 nurses have vocally expressed an upcoming resignation. The overwhelming physical and emotional trauma sustained during the pandemic contributed to the toll taken by the workforce.
Dwindling numbers have since sounded the alarm on the nursing industry but has not served as a discouraging factor in the long run. The National Institute of Health is predicting that by 2035, the number of active nurses in the workforce will return to pre-pandemic levels, totaling 4.56 million nurses nationwide.
If you’re considering a new career there is clear upside for joining the nursing field. In states that are home to an aging population nurses play a critical role in the health of its residents. For example, in Florida, the nursing shortage will reach 60,000 by 2035. Thankfully there are in-state universities like Keiser University, who offer a wide array of degrees in the field.
Make the leap and consider a career in nursing.
* Emergency healthcare professional.
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