Nurse shortage is crippling hospitals, centers that provide care in Western Pennsylvania [View all]

A long predicted shortage across the continuum of nursing and direct care workers has come home to roost in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Shortages are rippling across the country fueled in part, experts say, by pandemic trauma and burnout.

The issue is critical in Western Pennsylvania.

In a region characterized by a rapidly graying population and a shrinking workforce, help wanted signs are popping up at private home care agencies, personal care homes, assisted living and nursing homes, community hospitals and sprawling academic and tertiary care hospitals.

Like the fast food industry, some hospitals desperate to fill nursing vacancies are dangling signing bonuses— as much as $15,000 for experienced registered nurses at UPMC and AHN hospitals and outpatient facilities.

At the most basic level, staffing agencies that provide non-licensed short term care workers who help people remain in their homes and avoid moving to a personal care or assisted living are simply turning away calls for help.

Read more: https://triblive.com/local/regional/nurse-shortage-is-crippling-hospitals-centers-that-provide-care-in-western-pa/