Why IT and EHR is Critical for Traveling Nurses

Across the country, hospitals are experiencing staffing shortages, and two years of COVID-19 have taken their toll on the industry.

The pandemic didn’t cause the staffing shortage. However, it exacerbated a growing problem as more nurses opted to retire or leave the profession.

Amid the pandemic, many healthcare professionals burned out while others left the workforce altogether. As a result, many hospitals and physicians’ offices struggle to hire and retain nurses.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has raised the alarm about the ongoing nursing shortage. As older Americans — especially Baby Boomers — age and their demands for health care increase, the association has indicated that the problem will only worsen.

Additionally, nursing schools aren’t keeping up with the higher demand for nurses. It’s a situation the industry must prioritize to solve before it is too late. However, no single approach will be the definitive solution. Hospitals have considered and implemented various approaches to combat these challenges.

Traveling nurses have grown increasingly common — especially in rural environments where it is even harder to recruit professionals. These nurses potentially allow hospitals to expand their offerings or bring in more specialists without needing to hire additional full-time staff. This can be a double-edged sword as traveling nurses can be expensive.