TROY, Mich. – Visit any floor in any hospital, and most of them are going to look like controlled chaos, a constant hustle and bustle of staff and patients.
And those keeping that chaos under control are the nurses -- but they’re in low supply these days, much like workers across any industry in the U.S.
With a critical shortage of nurses at medical centers, existing staff say they are exhausted and feeling burnt out.
Related: Michigan schools face nurse shortage as COVID continues to spread
Beaumont Health says they are down 12% of their nurses across Metro Detroit. Officials did not say exactly how many nurses that is, but it is enough to close 180 beds at their hospitals.
To help recruitment efforts, the hospital system is offering a $10,000 sign-on bonus for new nurse hires, and an additional $11,000 retention bonus for nurses who stay on.
But still, it’s not enough -- which has inspired nurses to get creative to help bring in new hires.
Related: Senior living centers struggling with staff shortages
Nurse Saaja Rayford has taken to TikTok to reach out to newly graduated nurses in an effort to educate, and possibly recruit, them. The nurse is also looking to connect with the younger generation with hopes of convincing them to enter into a nursing career.
Rayford has gained some social media momentum in just a little time, and she hopes her posts will show others the many opportunities available to nurses. You can find her posts under @saajamonai.
In the meantime, there are still patients that need help. There are many theories on why the nurse shortage is so substantial, but most think it’s because of the coronavirus pandemic. Once the threat of COVID goes away, many think nurses will come back.
Watch the full report in the video above.
Related: Worker shortage having big impact on Michigan restaurants, customers
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