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Show The Inadequate Supply of Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in Utah Acute Care Hospitals, 2002 Kenneth L. Johnson, Ph.D., C.H.E.S.; Richard B. Dwore, Ph.D.; Bruce P. Murray, Ph.D., F.A.C.H.E., C.A.E.; Robert J. Parsons, Ph.D. While many studies report a shortage of nursing and selected allied health personnel in the United States, few have focused on Utah. This study identifies the current demand for nurses, pharmacists and other allied health personnel among Utah acute care hospitals. Of the 43 Utah hospitals surveyed, 31 responded to questions that asked about current openings in a variety of positions, turnover and tenure trends, how facilities coped with shortages, the ages of the workforce, and workload. This article also outlines the aging of Utah 's population, the health care workforce, and the faculty who prepare that workforce. The national demand and short supply of nursing and allied health personnel continues to cause great concern among health care providers, institutions of higher education and policy makers. Debate is underway regarding the current shortage of registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurses (LPN), pharmacists, radiological technologists, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, clinical laboratory technologists, and other health care personnel (HRSA, 2001: Kinard & Little, 1999; and Nelson, 2002). Not only are open positions difficult to fill, the personnel and the faculty who teach them are aging (AACN, 2001a). Several studies indicate shortages hi allied health across the nation (AACN, 2001a; AACN, 2001b; HRSA, 2001; Kinard & Little. 1999; and Nelson, 2002). The estimated number of unfilled positions for pharmacists hi February 2000 was reported to be 6,920 compared to 2,670 in February 1998 (DHHS, 2000.) Pharmacists represented the largest shortage group in 2001. That year, U.S. hospitals reported 21% of their pharmacist positions vacant. Another 18% of the radiological technologists, 12% of the laboratory technologists, and 11% of the registered nurses positions also were unfilled (AHA Trendwatch, 2001.) According to human resource managers, shortages exist among a number of professional categories. Operating room and critical care nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and computer systems personnel are especially in short supply (Kinard & Little, 1999). Tieman (2002) echoed some of the same concerns. His nation-wide survey indicated double-digit vacancy rates among imaging technicians, RNs, LPNs, pharmacists, and nursing assistants. One author reported the nursing shortage as a national security concern, and said a reduced health care workforce would not allow the U.S. to deal with catastrophic events requiring screening, immunizations, and care to victims of such events (Nelson, 2002). hi May 2002, Dr. Anna Graham testified to the United States House Appropriations Committee on the shortage of clinical laboratory personnel in the United States. Dr. Graham, reported vacancy rates ranging from 74% for histotechnologists in the south central Atlantic states to 21% for clinical laboratory technologists in rural America (Graham, 2002). The aging of the health care staff and the faculty who train them also is of concern. One study estimates that by 2010, the average age of a registered nurse (RN) hi the U.S. will be 45.4 years, with more than 40 percent of the total RN workforce expected to be older than 50 years (Buerhaus, Staiger, Auerbach, 2000.) Another report indicates the largest cohorts of nurses, nationwide, will enter their 50s and 60s over the next decade (AHA Trendwatch, 2001.) Finally, a wave of faculty retirements is expected across the U.S. over the next decade (Northwest Health Foundation, 2001.) The combination of an aging population, an aging workforce and an aging faculty will most certainly aggravate shortages and the need for qualified nursing and allied health professionals hi the United States. Utah's Situation Utah is not exempt from the demand and supply situation for these health care personnel. The Utah State Medical Education Council research identified a significant need for pharmacists (UMECa, 2002). A publication of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supports the anecdotal information of nursing and other allied health shortages hi Utah. The HRSA study reports Utah as having the lowest supply of both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses per 100,000 population among 10 states studied (HRSA, 2001). Other than these few studies, however, a search of the literature offers limited additional data. Few academic or professional articles have been published that indicate the condition of nursing and allied health personnel shortages in Utah. Only anecdotal stories published by city and community newspapers report shortages and their consequences hi both urban and rural Utah. This study, then, attempts to present more empirical data that provide a glimpse of the specific needs of Utah hospitals for nurses, pharmacists, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, clinical laboratory technologists, and clinical laboratory technicians. METHODS hi December 2001, chief executive officers of all 43 Utah acute care hospitals were asked to complete a four-page, mailed survey. Most delegated the project to their human resource departments. Survey items focused on current openings, turnover, tenure, age, critical needs and the methods facility managers used to cope with staff shortages. For each hospital, the number of licensed beds as well as the fulltime equivalent personnel (FTEs) per hospital bed was recorded. The hospitals also are identified by rural or urban location. By March 2002, 31 of the 43 facilities (72 %) returned completed surveys. This return represents 16 urban (51.6 %) and 15 rural (48.4 %) centers and a variety of large to small facilities: 18 had 100 beds or fewer, 6 had 101 to 200 beds, and 7 had 201 beds or more. Of the 11 10 Utah's Health: An Annual Review Volume DC |
