Postgraduate residency and fellowship programs have become more common in recent years as a means of helping nurse practitioners (NPs) transition to practice. More research is needed to understand the efficacy of these programs for NPs working in primary care settings. This article describes a study that analyzed 2018 survey data to examine possible associations…
The Health Workforce Deficit Estimator is an online tool to help state and federal planners consider different strategic approaches to ensure sufficient heath workforce for COVID-19. Built off the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation demand model, the tool currently shows deficits in supply for respiratory therapists, intensivists, hospitalists, and critical care nurses in certain…
The Emergency Vaccinator Policies for COVID-19 is an interactive tool that displays temporary, emergency state policies authorizing specific professions to provide the COVID-19 vaccine. These policies expand on the types of personnel authorized to provide the COVID-19 vaccine beyond physicians, advanced practice nurses, and other traditional clinicians. It is important to note that this tool…
The Mullan Institute estimates that between now and March 20, 2021, 7% of counties in the USwill experience hospital workforce staffing strains due to COVID-19 hospitalizations. Using new county-level projections of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU occupancy provided, it is estimated that 209 counties will need to implement crisis workforce strategies. This involves tiered staffing strategies…
Since health professionals began administering 2 FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, the rollout has encountered several challenges and failed to meet initial targets for total vaccinations provided. The current health workforce has been identified as one possible bottleneck for distributing the vaccine, prompting a general call to authorize as many health care professionals to…
Medical students played an essential role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable populations and exacerbated inequality. Medical students should be trained to respond to public health emergencies in ways that promote health equity, but what this training should entail has yet to be…
Health disparities have worsened over the last 20 years in the United States, and research has exposed the role of health care systems in contributing to these disparities. Based on race/ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, and geography, communities face disproportionately higher disparities in access, diagnosis, and treatment, ultimately resulting in adverse health outcomes. This…
Federal programs such as the National Health Survey Corps (NHSC) are important for providing staffing to community health centers (CHCs). However, the financial impact of NHSC staff on CHCs remains unclear. This article describes a study that analyzed 2013-2017 data from the Uniform Data System and the NHSC administrative database to compare the financial impact…
Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the American Rescue Plan and the CARES act have provided major increases to healthcare funding. However, planning and accountability are needed to ensure that this new funding is spent responsibly and equitably to address the nations most pressing health needs. This article provides recommendations for organizations to…
Studies have shown that sufficient nurse staffing is essential for the delivery of quality care and safe working conditions that are associated with better patient outcomes. As of 2020, 14 states had legislation to increase nurse staffing in hospitals. The legislation includes 3 main approaches: 1.) mandating minimum nurse staffing ratios in hospitals; 2.) mandating a…
