As COVID-19 worsens nursing shortage, Madison hospitals, schools step up
DAVID WAHLBERG
Updated
Hollie Doherty, right, a cardiology clinic nurse at the SSM Health Outpatient Center next to St. Mary's Hospital, said the COVID-19 pandemic has made the job of nursing less appealing in some ways but also more rewarding. In many cases, "you were the only partial face patients got to see," said Doherty, who helped in the hospital's intensive care unit shortly after COVID-19 hit.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has led some nurses to retire early, find other work or join high-paying staffing agencies, exacerbating a nursing shortage in Wisconsin, SSM Health has taken a step it hopes will help in two ways.
Jacob Walton works as a clinical support assistant, a new entry-level position at SSM Health designed to free up nurses and nursing assistants to do other work.
Jeremy Less has been a cardiology clinic nurse at SSM Health for four years. He said the challenges nurses have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic might make it harder to attract young nurses to the field. "People are going to see how it was and say, 'I don’t want to do that,'" he said.
Hollie Doherty, right, a cardiology clinic nurse at the SSM Health Outpatient Center next to St. Mary's Hospital, said the COVID-19 pandemic has made the job of nursing less appealing in some ways but also more rewarding. In many cases, "you were the only partial face patients got to see," said Doherty, who helped in the hospital's intensive care unit shortly after COVID-19 hit.
Jacob Walton works as a clinical support assistant, a new entry-level position at SSM Health designed to free up nurses and nursing assistants to do other work.
Jeremy Less has been a cardiology clinic nurse at SSM Health for four years. He said the challenges nurses have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic might make it harder to attract young nurses to the field. "People are going to see how it was and say, 'I don’t want to do that,'" he said.
