Workforce

More than 3,600 U.S. healthcare workers died of COVID-19 and its complications nationwide in the first year of the pandemic, according to an investigation by Kaiser Health News and The Guardian.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for front-line healthcare workers, particularly younger ones, a Kaiser Family Foundation/The Washington Post national poll found.

Female employees with children and those in clinical roles were more likely to consider leaving the workforce or cutting their hours during the pandemic, according to a study published April 2 in JAMA Network Open.

Healthcare added 11,500 jobs in March, although hospitals lost jobs for the third month since September, according to the latest jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Houston Methodist will make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for employees, with the first phase including managers and new hires, the health system said March 31. 

The World Health Organization is warning about the rising risk of mental health challenges healthcare workers face amid a global surge of COVID-19, The Washington Post reported March 31.

Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health is launching a medical assistant school and specialized educational programs to expand career opportunities for healthcare workers, the health system said March 29.

President Joe Biden plans to direct $100 million to a national network of volunteer health professionals to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations, NBC News reported March 25, citing administration officials.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has signed a law requiring hospitals and outpatient surgery centers that use energy-generating devices to use a smoke evacuation system during surgical procedures that are likely to produce surgical smoke, OR Today reported.

The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the need for hospitals and health systems to find more cost-effective, flexible staffing solutions that support clinician well-being and care quality. Considering the pandemic’s significant financial impact, it's critical to figure out staffing models that…