Kentucky Hospital Association graph. |
Of the 13,000 open jobs, nearly 5,000 were openings for registered nurses and nearly 300 for licensed practical nurses, the survey found. And, there are over 1,000 open slots for nursing aides.
Kentucky Hospital Association charts. |
The survey shows that the shortage of registered nurses is the most pronounced, with four AD districts having registered-nurse vacancies above 20 percent Barren River (21.2%), Lincoln Trail (22.3%), Buffalo Trace (22.4%), and Bluegrass (23.7%).
The report notes that the level of vacancies means wait times are longer for those seeking treatment. KHA says it is working with hospitals to actively convene partners to address these provider shortages, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Council on Postsecondary Education, and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, along with nurses and hospital administrators.
Our primary objectives are to expand Kentuckys health care [sic] workforce pipeline, remove barriers to health care education, retain the current health care workforce, and redesign models of care, Russell F. Cox, president and chief executive officer of Norton Healthcare and chair of the KHA Workforce Committee, said in the release. Through extensive public and private sector collaboration, we are poised to help more Kentuckians attain rewarding, long-term careers in health care while improving the health of our communities.