August 10th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland Hospital Association this week  released a report that warned they are in need of nurses. The report showed one in every four nursing positions in Maryland is currently vacant. That equated to the association being down 5,000 registered nurses and 4,000 licensed practical nurses. Those numbers could double or triple by 2035 if action is not taken, the report showed. Nicole Stallings, Chief External Officer, Maryland Hospital Association talked with WBAL about some of the possible consequences…

Locally, UPMC Western Maryland issued the following statement regarding the nursing shortage impact: Beginning months ago, UPMC expanded its recruitment and retention offerings to employees and prospective employees to address the needs across many types of workers, nurses, and others. UPMC hospitals have held multiple job fairs over the last few months to recruit our fellow community members to join our team.   UPMC Western Maryland, like all other hospitals in the state, has a need for health care workers caused by many factors — some reexamined their careers, leaving the workforce entirely or leaving for new employers, and others made different choices for less time at the bedside or additional flexibility.  We are challenged every day, and our dedicated teams are working very hard every day.