Amidst the nationwide health crisis, medical institutions across the country mandated their employees to receive the new virus vaccine. The administration led by President Joe Biden stipulated that healthcare professionals working in facilities that received Medicaid or Medicare payments must be vaccinated.
The mandate received approval from the Supreme Court. Presently, hospitals are facing challenges in recruiting nurses, and there are efforts to rehire some of the previously terminated staff.
The Maine Wire, an independent conservative media outlet, recently released an exclusive article detailing hospitals’ efforts to entice dismissed nurses back to their positions. As per the report, MaineGeneral Health Recruitment resorted to sending text messages to former employees who were terminated due to vaccine refusal.
Terry Poland, a former Registered Nurse (RN), revealed to the publication that she received a text message urging her to return to work. The message stated that the healthcare facility had been compelled to adhere to the state’s vaccine mandate, resulting in the loss of valuable employees.
However, on August 3, 2023, the state reversed its mandate, prompting MaineGeneral to eliminate its vaccination requirements.
In the year 2022, a report highlighted a substantial decline in the Registered Nurse (RN) workforce, with a reduction of around 100,000 nurses by the conclusion of 2021. This marked the most significant decrease in four decades.
A survey conducted by McKinsey & Company revealed that 31% of nurses have plans to depart from their current positions within the next year. It’s worth noting that not all of them plan to exit the profession entirely, but the RNs are indeed grappling with a notable turnover rate.
Upon the implementation of President Biden’s vaccine mandate, the American Hospital Association voiced apprehensions about the potential emergence of a shortage. The American Nursing Association underscored that the industry had been facing challenges predating the health crisis, marked by retirements outpacing the influx of new nurses, insufficient support for Registered Nurses (RNs) in their work environments, and a growing demand for healthcare professionals.
It appears that the mandates have played a role in exacerbating this crisis.
