The demand for nurses has been growing for years as the population in Antelope Valley and surrounding areas ages and requires more medical care. Now, the coronavirus pandemic is creating additional pressure on the healthcare industry while the nationwide nursing shortage gets worse. The combination of these factors has produced more job openings for nurses and other caregivers in Antelope Valley.
Staffing Shortages and the Pandemic
Before the coronavirus pandemic began, hospitals and other healthcare organizations across the country were already dealing with a shortage of nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has been tracking staffing insufficiencies and projecting shortages for years. The AACN points out that the average age for a registered nurse (RN) is 50 years old, so staffing problems will continue to get worse as more RNs retire.
Each year, the demand for nurses increases, but the coronavirus pandemic had made it even higher. There is a critical need for nurses and other caregivers. Patients who have coronavirus require more attention, and hospitals are struggling to keep up. Staffing shortages create additional strain that makes it difficult to provide high level care.
In addition, nurses and other healthcare providers are at risk of becoming sick during the pandemic. Even if they survive the virus, they must quarantine for at least 14 days, which means staffing shortages are getting worse.
Rising Demand for Nurses and Other Caregivers
In Antelope Valley and the surrounding areas, there is a rising demand for nurses and other caregivers. It is easy to see the need when you look at who is hiring. For instance, one organization that provides social services in Antelope Valley is looking for residential counselors, intensive service therapists, assistant project managers and other staff. Another organization needs licensed vocational nurses, certified home health aides and registered nurses.
From long-term care facilities to large hospitals, there are multiple positions open that need healthcare providers like nurses. Some organizations are willing to provide training and extra bonuses to fill the open jobs. There is a great need for professional, reliable and compassionate caregivers in the area.
Changing Care Models
The role of nurses is increasing in many healthcare organizations because this is not the only profession that is struggling with staffing shortages. Doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare providers are also in short supply and high demand. This means that the healthcare delivery model is changing, and nurses are more important than ever.
For example, people see nurse practitioners 916 million times per year in the United States. They are choosing them over other types of primary care providers because of convenience, cost and availability. Patients are confident in the care they receive, and these visits will continue to increase in the future, which will continue to raise the demand for nurses.
Finding Work
Word of mouth is still an option when looking for work, but the internet has simplified the job search process for nurses and other caregivers. First, you can look for work on specific websites, such as the Antelope Valley Hospital’s career page, to see if they have openings.
If you have a desire to work for a specific organization, when checking their career pages online frequently makes senses. Since some organizations only list openings on their own websites and avoid using aggregate sites, this can be a useful tactic. It can also help to get to know people who already work at the organization, so they can tell you about job openings right away.
Another option is to use aggregate websites that combine all the jobs from the Antelope Valley area on one page. It is easier to search these types of sites, but you have to remember they may not list every job that is open in the area.
Looking Ahead
The demand for nurses means it is easy to find many open jobs in this field for now, but what will happen in the future? A large number of nurses are part of the baby boomer generation and aging along with the rest of the population in America. Questions about the impact of their retirement are becoming more urgent.
Encouraging more people to pursue healthcare degrees is one solution that the American Association of Colleges of Nursing is proposing to help with the nursing shortage and aging population. From motivating high school students to consider nursing as a profession to offering training for older adults who want a new career, there are many opportunities to fix the shortage. Another solution is expanding nursing schools and offering more grants or scholarships to students.
Like the rest of the country, Antelope Valley is not immune to the rising demand for nurses and other caregivers. There are many job openings in the healthcare field that still need to be filled.
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