Kansas recruiters are looking as far away as the Philippines in Southeast Asia because 21% of registered nursing jobs in the state went unfilled last year. That’s what the Kansas Hospital Association found in a recent report. “Just to kind of put that in perspective, we need four nurses on a unit,” said Cindy Samuelson with the KHA. “If we’re thinking of percentages 25%, that means we only have three.” Prior to the pandemic, the U.S. was already experiencing a shortage of nurses. During COVID-19, the issue was only exacerbated as fatigued nurses left the workforce. Samuelson said the association held its very first virtual job fair to try to reach more potential workers. The group is also partnering with the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and rural organizations to raise awareness of the job opportunities in the medical field.
Source: Dodge City Daily Globe
