Vermont hospitals curb nursing shortage by training other hospital employees
WCAX
As staff shortages at Vermont’s hospitals persist, one potential solution being used at hospitals across New England involves training current hospital employees to become nurses.
Kelly Campbell, the director of professional development at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, says the daily census of patients has gone from 18 to 34 in recent years. They’ve added beds, but she says the hospital is having a hard time keeping up.
“Patients wait longer to access care than they used to. So, when they do they’re sicker or their condition is more acute, there’s a lot of things that play into that,” Campbell said.
The hospital had up to 70 nursing vacancies, but that number has now dropped to 36. Chief nursing executive Dawn Kregel notes dozens of those filled positions are traveling nurses who typically get paid more than full-time staff.