DiversityNursing Blog

Nurses at the forefront of healthcare continue to face challenges that change how we provide Nursing care to our patients. As the Nursing field continues to evolve, here are some of the top Nursing trends to watch in 2023 and for the years to come.

Nursing Shortages

Nursing shortages across all aspects of healthcare will continue to increase in 2023 and for several years to come. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nurses have experienced higher rates of burnout which has led to an increased number of Nurses leaving bedside Nursing or even the Nursing profession altogether. Nurse burnout, coupled with the baby boomer generation of Nurses entering retirement, has left an increasing need for Nursing professionals across all aspects of healthcare.

To help combat the growing Nursing shortage, many Nursing programs offer rolling admissions and flexible online Nursing programs to help accommodate as many potential Nurses as possible. The World Health Organization has estimated that nearly 6 million more healthcare jobs must be filled by 2030 to meet the growing healthcare needs. We can expect the demand for Nurses to remain high for many years.

Job Availability Increases

Job availability for Nurses has been rising for several years, and 2023 will be no different. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2031, job growth for Registered Nurses is expected to increase by 6% and Nurse Practitioners by 40%. Several factors will influence the increasing job availability, including the retirement of the baby boomer generation of Nurses, the growing demand for healthcare, and the inability of Nursing schools to keep up with the increasing demands of students. 

Online Nursing Programs

As the demand for Nursing professionals increases, online education programs will continue to grow in popularity. Online programs offer students scheduling flexibility to make it easier to attend classes while dealing with other responsibilities like work and family life. Online programs also create a new market for students living in rural areas who need help commuting to universities.

Travel Nursing

Travel Nursing has been a rising trend for some time, but it came into focus during the COVID-19 Pandemic. As thousands of Nurses traveled to care for the surging patient volumes in COVID-19 hot spots, it was realized how much value travel Nurses bring to the shifting demands of healthcare. Travel Nursing offers higher compensation, the opportunity to work in new environments, and travel opportunities Nurses otherwise would not be able to experience. More and more Nurses have discovered the endless perks of travel Nursing over the past few years, and there is no end in sight. We can expect travel Nursing to continue to grow in popularity.

Increased Salaries

As the Nursing shortage continues, it is expected that we will see an increase in salary for Nurses over the next few years. Adequate compensation is necessary to attract and retain qualified Nurses, recognize them for their expertise, and address their daily challenges. Although increasing salaries for Nurses involves much more than just a higher paycheck, many healthcare networks have been reconsidering healthcare budgets, government policies, and negotiations between employers and unions to help better compensate Nurses for their tireless work efforts.

Mental Health Awareness

Mental health is an essential aspect of well-being for everyone, including Nurses. The Nursing profession has always been one to carry a significant mental burden, and this can take a toll on mental health over time. Although it has been going on for decades, the pandemic revealed a devastating increase in Nurse burnout, stress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression that can no longer be ignored. In the coming years, we can expect to see an increase in mental health awareness and services available to help Nurses better prioritize their mental health. It is anticipated that healthcare organizations will start to implement initiatives to help promote self-care and work-life balance, like mental health services, stress reduction programs, and peer support networks.

Telehealth Services

Telehealth and virtual care services have exponentially increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses are now providing remote care, conducting virtual health assessments, monitoring patients remotely and offering telephonic or video consultations to help bridge healthcare gaps and improve patient outcomes. Telehealth services allow for increased access to healthcare to patients who otherwise would not have available healthcare like people from rural or underserved areas. As healthcare continues to evolve and grow, we can expect the same from telehealth services over the next few years.

Nursing trends shape the Nursing progression and can significantly impact working environments and the roles and responsibilities of Nurses. As Nursing trends continue to evolve, one thing that will always remain true about the Nursing profession is it will remain a dynamic profession that must continue to grow and adapt to new medical research, technology, and healthcare challenges.

Nurse gig shifts refer to temporary or short-term Nursing assignments that are often offered through staffing agencies or online apps. These shifts can range in length from a few hours to several weeks or months and are often taken by Nurses who are looking for flexible work arrangements or who want to supplement their income.

Gig shifts can be beneficial for both Nurses and healthcare facilities. Nurses who work gig shifts have the flexibility to choose when and where they work, and they can often earn a higher hourly rate than they would in a traditional full-time position. Healthcare facilities can use gig shifts to fill staffing gaps or to cover unexpected absences, ensuring that patient care is not compromised.

According to The Wall Street Journal, embracing gig apps is one way hospitals and health systems are looking to provide flexibility and fill vacancies. This includes Providence Health.

Providence added gig Nurses last year and has filled 13,000 shifts for Nurses and other medical roles, Mark Smith, who oversees workforce analysis, staffing and optimization for the organization, told The Wall Street Journal. He also told the publication the health system plans to expand gig work from 12 hospitals and Nursing homes to 19.

“We make sure the Nurses who work through the app are thoroughly vetted and have the licenses and certifications required to work on the Nursing unit they’re receiving training to work on, just like our own caregivers do,” Smith explained. “At Providence, we’ve found that Nurses taking assignments through the app fill six shifts per month.”

Among the apps hospitals are adopting are ShiftKey, which lets Nurses bid for shifts, and CareRev, which lets hospitals raise and lower their rates for different shifts. 

However, there are also some potential drawbacks to working gig shifts. These can include inconsistent work schedules, lack of benefits, and a lack of job security. Nurses who work gig shifts may also miss out on opportunities for professional development and career advancement that are more readily available in traditional full-time positions.

Overall, whether or not you should pursue gig shifts depends on your personal goals and priorities. It's important to carefully consider the pros and cons of gig work as well as research potential employers and platforms before accepting any assignments.

As we start the new year, we take a look at trends we expect to see in the Nursing field. Many health experts agree staffing has been and will continue to be the top healthcare issue.

Nurse Shortage

Many factors play into the staffing crisis like the pandemic, retiring Nurses, and high rates of burnout.

Rhonda Thompson, DNP, CNO and SVP of Patient Care Services at Phoenix Children's Hospital told Beckers Hospital Review, "The nursing shortage affecting health systems nationwide will continue to be a challenge in 2022. This has a greater impact than just unfilled positions and scheduling sufficient nurses based on a high patient census. It also means our experienced staff nurses are investing a great deal of time onboarding and training newly licensed nurses, in addition to their own daily bedside care responsibilities. To solve this, it will take collaboration and commitment from our health systems, staff, and academic partners."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 194,500 openings for Registered Nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Increase In At-Home Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic created a demand for at-home healthcare that continues to grow.

According to Forbes, the Home Care Providers industry is among the fastest growing healthcare industries in the United States. "Industry revenue, according to IBISWorld, has grown at an annualized rate of 2.2% to $96.9 billion over the past five years."

At-home healthcare has many benefits. So much so, last year a bill called the Choose Home Care Act 2021 was presented to Congress. If passed, this would give patients the opportunity to leave the hospital and recover at home with a mix of expanded skilled Nursing, therapy, personal care, telehealth services, and more.

Prioritizing The Well-Being Of Healthcare Workers

The pandemic has pushed an already stressed-out career field to its breaking point. Nurses are facing high rates of burnout and compassion fatigue.

Compassion fatigue is the emotional residue or strain of exposure to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events.

According to J. Maben and J. Bridges (2020), the pandemic has led Nurses to experience the highest level of stress that has ever been recorded compared to other professions.

Healthcare organizations and leaders have the opportunity and the responsibility to support and prioritize their staff's mental and physical well-being.

These healthcare workers have given so much of themselves they have nothing left to give and yet they are still showing up day after day under impossible circumstances. But for how much longer?

Nurses want to feel valued and safe in their work environment. Healthcare organizations must ensure Nurses are equipped with resources and the support they need to provide quality care.

Nursing School Online

The pandemic forced Nursing schools to provide their classes online to avoid the spread of the virus. Many institutions have continued the online learning option for some of their programs.

According to a report from Inside Higher Ed, about 60% of colleges and universities do plan to keep some of their undergraduate programs fully online.

Online schools provide a great opportunity for Nurses who are looking to advance further in their education, but don't have the time to physically attend classes between shifts.