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Miranda Franz: Preparing future nurses means going beyond traditional training

100,000 nurses left the workforce during the pandemic.

(Rick Bowmer | AP) A nurse gives a COVID-19 test outside the Salt Lake County Health Department Friday, July 22, 2022, in Salt Lake City.

The headline was jarring, but I was not surprised — 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the pandemic.

The report, issued by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in mid-April, noted that stress, burnout and retirement are among the top issues. By 2027, nearly 900,000 registered nurses are expected to leave the workforce — roughly a fifth of the current workforce.

Equally troubling is that Utah ranks as the nation’s lowest nurse-to-state population ratio. According to a recent Nurse Journal report, for every 1,000 residents, there are 7.26 nurses.

Everyone should be alarmed by the current nursing shortage. It certainly keeps me up at night.

(Rick Bowmer | AP) A nurse gives a COVID-19 test outside the Salt Lake County Health Department Friday, July 22, 2022, in Salt Lake City.

It’s not realistic to expect one person to take care of more and more progressively more-ill patients. Our system is eventually going to fall apart and end with more nurses burning out and leaving the field, not to mention diminished care to patients. It’s a cycle that can only be broken by making sure that our nurses are supported so they can give appropriate care back to the community and the patients they serve.

Nursing is always changing, and I think we have seen that in spades over the pandemic. The nursing shortage ebbs and flows, but I worry that it is going to get worse before it gets better.

Nursing is seen as one of the most trusted professions, but nurses are not always shown the respect that the profession deserves in terms of pay and appropriate patient load.

I spent most of my hospital career working on a behavioral health unit, and even back then, we were dealing with a nursing shortage. Mental health is such an important part of health care, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with this population.

I also feel fortunate to have a direct impact on preparing the next generation of nurses to be on the front lines. As director of nursing services for Grand Canyon University’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program, I’m proud of how our team supports our students. Our 16-month hybrid program is aggressive, but our caring culture provides many different sources of support. Whether we’re helping career changers enroll in the program or helping students prepare for the NCLEX exams, we are committed to providing support every step of the way.

Technology also plays a crucial role in preparing nursing students for the future. Our students spend time practicing what they’ve learned in our simulation lab. These immersive experiences help students test their judgment, critical thinking and clinical skills in an interactive learning lab that serves as a “safe” environment for making mistakes.

Nursing is going to continue to see burnout, career changers, and early retirement until we can get the load to match the support. We need to do more to prepare nursing students for what the current healthcare system looks like. I know of many competent nursing schools that focus on best practices for patient care, but it takes more than that. We need to prepare students for all the interpersonal conflicts and stressors that go along with being in the profession. Ultimately, it boils down to ensuring that students feel supported through their experience.

Nursing is an amazing profession to be in. Things are always changing in health care, but there are a lot of good changes coming, and being a part of the health care community is very rewarding. Remember that registered nurses don’t just work in hospitals. They work in clinics, at schools, and some even go into informatics and work on the IT side of nursing.

A nurse’s career path also does not need to be linear. I was inspired to go into nursing after being present for the birth of my friend’s child. She used a midwife, and I decided that night what I wanted to do with my life. I went to nursing school planning on being a certified nurse-midwife and then never worked a day in labor and delivery!

We must work together to address the dire nursing shortage. One of the best ways we can attract and retain nurses is to provide more support at every level of a nurse’s career.

Miranda Franz

Miranda Franz, MSPSY, MSN, RN, is director of nursing services for Grand Canyon University’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program in Sandy. A Salt Lake City native, she is also a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA).