Alabama’s Nursing Shortage Worsens During Pandemic
Since the coronavirus started spreading in March it has had a huge impact on Alabama nurses.
“Their whole system, as the largest workforce in healthcare, was disrupted,” said John Ziegler, the executive director of the Alabama State Nurses Association.
In response to COVID-19, hospitals stopped elective surgeries and shut down outpatient clinics, leaving some nurses out of work. Meanwhile, demand was up dramatically for others who had specialized skills, such as ICU experience. As time went on, some nurses quit or retired early, while others got sick.
Flash forward to today. Many hospitals have completely reopened and are short-staffed.
Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, said the shortage is a big concern. Although the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 has declined in recent weeks, hospitals continue to care for hundreds of COVID patients and Williamson said many employees are exhausted.
“The issue for us is staffing,” he said. “It’s not beds or ventilators.”
The pandemic has made things worse, but Williamson said the nursing shortage has been a problem for years. He said this is due to many factors, including burnout, but the biggest barrier is that Alabama is a poor state.
“We have one of the least well-reimbursed health care systems in America,” Williamson said.
That means salaries are lower, making it more difficult to recruit nurses.
To make up for the shortage, in recent months hospitals have increased recruitment and reassigned staff to high-demand units. And a growing number are turning to contract staffing agencies or travel nursing companies to fill vacancies.
Susan Whitman is the executive vice president of Freedom Healthcare Staffing, a travel nursing company that operates nationwide. She said Freedom did not do much business in Alabama in the past, but now the company is serving hospitals throughout the state.
“COVID has changed the dynamic of where staff is needed, and needed quickly,” Whitman said.
She said most hospitals are requesting critical care nurses, who are often needed on the frontlines to treat COVID patients.
Alabama’s largest hospital, UAB, is down several hundred nurses, according to CEO Will Ferniany. He said they are relying on travel nurses to meet demand.
“These are people we’ve hardly ever used before,” Ferniany said during a recent press conference.
Contracting short-term staff is expensive. Depending on the position and the need, travel nurses can earn double or even triple the weekly salaries of full-time employees. In fact, Ferniany said some full-time nurses have quit their jobs at UAB to make more money as travel nurses.
Lisa Cox spent 17 years working for hospitals in north Alabama before quitting in January to become a traveling nurse, in part because of the pay. She doesn’t work in COVID units, but Cox said the job is challenging. She is often deployed to hospitals where staff nurses are working overtime and struggling to meet demand.
“You know they’ve been working short staffed so long, they’re just thankful to have the help,” Cox said.
Pandemic aside, health officials said the nursing shortage is not going away anytime soon. Some universities and colleges are working to train more students, but officials say they also face a shortage of nurse educators.
Alabama Power seeks to delay rate hike for new gas plant amid outcry
The state’s largest utility has proposed delaying the rate increase from its purchase of a $622 million natural gas plant until 2028.
Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor.
Scorching Saturdays: The rising heat threat inside football stadiums
Excessive heat and more frequent medical incidents in Southern college football stadiums could be a warning sign for universities across the country.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring an Audio Editor to join our award-winning team covering important regional stories across Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Judge orders new Alabama Senate map after ruling found racial gerrymandering
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, issued the ruling Monday putting a new court-selected map in place for the 2026 and 2030 elections.
Construction on Meta’s largest data center brings 600% crash spike, chaos to rural Louisiana
An investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom found that trucks contracted to work at the Meta facility are causing delays and dangerous roads in Holly Ridge.
