3 calling it "the perfect storm"
in healthcare... Registered nurses leaving
their careers at a time in
history when they have never
been more critical.
The nursing crisis started
before the pandemic but is
only getting worse after two
years of burnout and fatigue.
:18-:28:44-:501:52-1:57
2:55-2:57 CNH8088/17:05:1
4 TWO YEARS AGO I WENT IN FOR
A HIP REPLACEMENT. That
surgery began a harrowing two
weeks in the hospital for
Roger.CNH8088/14:25 IT WAS
JUST RIDICULOUS. Roger’s
stay was just as the pandemic
was starting he could already
sense a nursing shortage.
CNH8088/11:18 OFTENTIMES I
COULD HEAR OTHER PATIENTS
YELLING, I NEED HELP. I NEED
HELP. WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED
HELP. AND I WAS LIKE, HOLY
CRAP THIS IS CRAZY. Over
the last two years, nursing
shortages have become more
severe across the country, and
in Utah.AOS1487 TRACY
NIXON/CHIEF NURSING OFFICER
FOR U OF U HOSPITALS AND
CLINICS52:47 I HAVE ABOUT 7200
PEOPLE THAT REPORT TO ME.
Tracy Nixon is the Chief
Nursing Officer at University
of Utah Hospitals and Clinics.
AOS1487/TRACY NIXON43:01 THE
LAST TWO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS
HAVE BEEN, HANDS DOWN, THE
HARDEST OF MY CAREER. She’s
not alone. Nationwide, more
nurses left their careers in
healthcare during the pandemic
than any other time in history.
AOS1487/TRACY NIXON59:17 IF I
COULD HIRE 120-NURSES TODAY,
IN ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS, I’LL BE
ABLE TO BE FULLY STAFFED.
59:36 THOSE ARE JUST NURSES, I
ALSO NEED ABOUT THE SAME
NUMBER OF HCA’S. But
áhiring nurses, on the heels
of a global pandemic is
proving to be a huge
challenge. And, keeping nurses
is no easier. NATS OF MARCH
In recent weeks, nurses
locally and across the nation
have rallied together and
marched protesting pay and
hours. A local Instagram
account called "UniteUTRNs" is
a forum where nurses openly,
and anonymously discuss things
like pay, benefits and patient
care.CNH77778/48:00 WITHOUT
NURSES, WE CAN’T HAVE
HOSPITALS. Worried about
their employment, some of
these nurses agreed to speak
to KSL if we did not show
their identity. CNH7778/45:06
WE SHOULDER SO MUCH
RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT VERY
MUCH MONEY.ZOOM 4:00 WE’RE
SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERPAID.
WE’RE, YOU KNOW, 20% BELOW THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE. ZOOM LIZ
CLOSE/HEAD OF UTAH NURSES
ASSOCIATION09:21 THERE’S A
MULTITUDE OF THINGS AND NONE
OF IT IS A QUICK FIX.Liz Close
advocates for the Utah Nurses
Association, and it’s
38-thousand professional
members.ZOOM LIZ
CLOSE/11:30ISH IF YOU’RE AN
ICU NURSE, YOU’RE USED TO
SAVING PEOPLE. YOU’RE NOT USED
TO EVERYBODY COMING IN GETTING
SICKER AND SICKER AND DYING,
AND DOING IT OVER AND OVER
WITH NO TIME.Which is what
many nurses described as their
experience over the last two
years. ZOOM LIZ CLOSE/25:13
IT’S SOMEWHERE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD OF SEVEN-BILLIONS
DOLLARS TO REPLACE NURSES THAT
HAVE LEFT. As more leave the
profession, the workload gets
harder for those who stay.
Hospitals have turned to
travel nurses to fill the
gaps, nurses who earn up to
four times more per hour than
nurses on staff. CNH7778 35:42
THEY’RE NURSES JUST LIKE
MYSELF BUT THEY DON’T KNOW
WHERE THINGS ARE, THEY MIGHT
NOT KNOW OUR SYSTEM.SARAH
SHERE AOS 1486/29:27 IT
DOESN’T GO UNNOTICED.At the
University of Utah Hospital
Sarah Shearer says they are
aware of the issues and trying
to fix them.SARAH SHERE
AOS1486/21:15 COMPENSATION IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THAT
HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR TOP
PRIORITIES FOR THE PAST 18-
MONTHS.TRACY NIXON AOS
1487/37:08 I DON’T KNOW AT
THIS EXACT MOMENT AND TIME,
CHANGE CAN OCCUR FAST ENOUGH.
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3 3 The Utah nurses says they are
going on an overtime and
intentive-shift strike from
July 9th to July 22.