17 states where hospitals are experiencing workforce shortages

Seventeen states are experiencing critical staffing shortages in at least 25 percent of their hospitals, according to HHS data posted Jan. 3.

A critical staffing shortage is based on a facility's needs and internal policies for staffing ratios, according to HHS. Hospitals using temporary staff to meet staffing ratios are not counted among those experiencing a shortage.

Just over 19 percent of all hospitals in the country are experiencing critical staffing shortages.

Seventeen states in which at least 25 percent of hospitals have critical staffing shortages as of Jan. 3, listed in descending order:

1. New Mexico: 52.94 percent (tied)

1. Vermont: 52.94 percent (tied)

3. Rhode Island: 46.15 percent

4. Arizona: 37.37 percent

5. West Virginia: 36.07 percent

6. California: 35.85 percent

7. South Carolina: 35.53 percent

8. Kentucky: 31.43 percent

9. North Dakota: 30.43 percent

10. Wisconsin: 29.71 percent

11. Tennessee: 28.81 percent

12. Oklahoma: 28.36 percent

13. Wyoming: 27.59 percent

14. Colorado: 27.27 percent

15. Missouri: 26.96 percent

16. Georgia: 25.83 percent

17. Michigan: 25.48 percent

More than 20 percent of all hospitals in the country anticipate shortages in the next week.

Twenty-two states reported that they expect to have critical staffing shortages in at least 25 percent of their hospitals within the next week, listed in descending order:

1. Vermont: 58.82 percent

2. Rhode Island: 53.85 percent

3. New Mexico: 52.94 percent

4. West Virginia: 44.26 percent

5. California: 40.70 percent

6. Wyoming: 37.93 percent

7. Tennessee: 35.59 percent

8. South Carolina: 35.53 percent 

9. Kentucky: 35.24 percent

10. New Hampshire: 34.48 percent

11. Arizona: 33.33 percent (tied)

11. Wisconsin: 33.33 percent (tied)

13. North Dakota: 32.61 percent

14. Massachusetts: 30.12 percent

15. Oklahoma: 29.85 percent

16. Missouri: 29.57 percent

17. Michigan: 28.66 percent

18. Alabama: 28.32 percent

19. Georgia: 27.81 percent

20. Colorado: 27.27 percent

21. Nebraska: 26.88 percent

22. Kansas: 25.78 percent

Alabama, Nebraska, Kansas, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are the five states that did not report currently having shortages in at least 25 percent of their hospitals, but expect to in the next week.

Sixteen states reported having shortages in at least 25 percent of their hospitals Dec. 28. Alabama was experiencing shortages in at least 25 percent of its hospitals Dec. 28, but is not as of Jan 3. Tennessee and Michigan did not report shortages in at least 25 percent of its hospitals Dec. 28, but did as of Jan. 3.

Thirteen states on these two lists reported seeing a 14-day percent change increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to HHS data tracked by The New York Times. The rest are experiencing decreases. 

The five locations with the biggest 14-day percent change increase in hospitalizations are Louisiana (284 percent), Washington, D.C. (250 percent), Florida (203 percent), Hawaii (181 percent) and Georgia (123 percent).

The U.S. is seeing a 204 percent increase in cases over the past 14 days and a 35 percent increase in hospitalizations, according to HHS data tracked by The New York Times.

The COVID-19 pandemic is sidelining healthcare workers across the country as hospitals deal with record numbers of cases and employees become infected.

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