Senate Hearing Discusses Staffing Shortages

The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing today about residential treatment facilities for youth experiencing behavioral health challenges. The hearing came after the committee issued a report about these facilities and instances of abuse that occurred at some of them. The hearing detailed tragic incidents of young patients experiencing abuse. In discussing these…

Healthcare Workers Need Support Amid Labor Shortage

A shortage of healthcare workers continues to undermine patients and the quality of care they receive. A 2023 survey found 63% of respondents, which included hospitals, health systems, and medical groups, struggle to meet the needs of patients. Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu, former Acting Surgeon General of the U.S. and former Deputy Surgeon General, cites that…

The Nursing Shortage Leaves Patients Vulnerable

Dr. Jonathan Ellen, former CEO and physician-in-chief at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, writes in a recent piece that the U.S. is experiencing a worsening nursing shortage. “This gap in employment,” Dr. Ellen writes, “leaves patients vulnerable and without proper care.” Dr. Ellen argues that “it’s important for officials to recognize that low ceilings on…

Former Surgeon General: Congress Should Pass the HWRA

Having served the nation as Deputy Surgeon General and then Acting Surgeon General, Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu understands the most pressing issues in American health care. It’s worth noting, then, that Dr. Moritsugu identifies the country’s nursing shortage as a “crisis” that “threatens the foundation of our healthcare system.” Dr. Moritsugu argues that “[n]ow, more than…

Experts Call for the Swift Passage of Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act

In times of need, it’s critical that policymakers implement legislation that could offer immediate reprieve. Now, as the healthcare sector faces a shortage of up to 20% of the entire nursing workforce, policymakers should pass the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, or HWRA. This bipartisan legislation recaptures previously issued but unused immigrant visas and redistributes them…

Patients and Hospitals are Victims of “Broken Immigration System”

A new, deeply reported article in the Washington Post explores how our country’s antiquated immigration system prevents thousands of qualified nurses – who are desperately needed in hospitals and desperately want to work in America – from coming stateside. The Post notes that our “broken immigration system” has been “untouched by Congress for 33 years…

Foreign-Educated Nurses Keep U.S. Healthcare And Philippines Economy Afloat

Foreign-educated nurses, many of whom hail from the Philippines, provide care for patients in an American healthcare system that sorely lacks a sufficient workforce. The U.S. has had a drastic nursing shortage for years, and unfortunately it is poised to worsen. That is where foreign-educated nurses have offered critical support. And while they help keep…

Nursing Shortage Legislation Must Address Foreign-Educated Nurses

America’s healthcare sector remains crippled, even in the aftermath of COVID-19. A recent op-ed from The Hill explained that Americans will face a gap between 200,000 and 450,000 nurses by 2025. To fully rehabilitate the sector, the U.S. must double the nurses entering the workforce annually—all while current practitioners are leaving the field at an…

Senators Introduce Legislation Targeting Nursing Shortage

Last week, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced new legislation to target factors contributing to the nationwide nursing shortage. The Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act addresses the pay gap between clinical and faculty nursing staff by providing a federal wage differential. The current pay disparity discourages nurse leaders from…