Georgia among states where nurses are needed most

Last year, the International Council of Nurses called the worldwide shortage of nurses a “global health emergency.” Now, according to a report by health care staffing company Medical Solutions, Georgia is one of the U.S. states where nurses are needed most.

The world will need to replace about 13 million nurses over the coming years. In 2019, the global nursing shortage was around 30.6 million, and the worker shortage was only made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The not-for-profit National Council of State Boards of Nursing revealed that 100,000 U.S. nurses left the workforce during the pandemic and, by 2027, nearly a fifth of the country’s nurses will leave.

One of the largest contributors to the shortage is the aging population, Medical Solutions reported. By 2030, the roughly 73 million people who constitute the baby boomer generation will be 65 or older. With more older adults, there will be an increased need for nurses to assist with geriatric care.

The average age of nurses in 2022 was 46, which means a “large wave” of retirements is also drawing near. Then there’s burnout.

“Even before COVID-19 nurses were dealing with high levels of stress in their careers, but not to the extent that nurses are feeling now,” the health care staffing company reported. “Hospitals have been insufficiently staffed since the pandemic, which has caused nurses to work overtime, become burned out, and be incredibly dissatisfied in their career, leading many to leave altogether to focus on their mental health and better work-life balance.”

Using the latest data and each state’s projected needs by 2030, Medical Solutions determined Georgia has the third lowest nurse-to-state population in the country. With 7.6 nurses for every 1,000 people, the Peach State is projected to need 13,260 nurses by 2030.

Utah had the lowest ratio, with 6.75 nurses per 1,000 people and a projected need of 4,980 nurses by 2030. In Nevada, there are 7.54 nurses per 1,000 people and 5,590 nurses needed by 2030. Arizona came in fourth with 7.61 nurses per 1,000 people and 22,980 nurses needed by 2030. Texas will need the most nurses by 2030 of any state, a whopping 37,740. It had 7.69 nurses per 1,000 people.

These are the 20 states where nurses are needed the most, in alphabetical order, as provided by Medical Solutions: