The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing a rule that would require nursing facilities to have registered nurses on staff 24 hours a day. While this might sound like a good idea, the truth is Idaho doesn’t have enough nurses to make it happen, writes guest columnist Robert Vande Merwe. (Getty Images)
Idaho’s health care system faces a serious challenge, and it’s not just about doctors. The entire health care workforce is stretched thin. This workforce shortage affects all of us, and we need to find solutions now before it gets any worse.
Let’s focus for a moment on one just part of this system-wide problem: Idaho’s nursing shortage. Our state is ranked 50th in the United States for the number of nurses per capita, with just 7.83 registered nurses per 1,000 people. With so few nurses, hospitals, nursing facilities and other care facilities are all competing for the same small pool of talent. As the need continues to grow, nurses will get poached from one place to another, leaving even more gaps in care everywhere.