The Great Resignation hit the healthcare sector hard in November, and the numbers are colliding now with a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released job numbers yesterday showing that healthcare is among the top three industries cited in a 3% rise in the monthly “quits rate,” matching a high from September. The number of quits surged to 4.53 million for the month.
Quits increased in several industries with the largest increases in accommodation and food services (+159,000); healthcare and social assistance (+52,000); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+33,000), according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report.
Workers are reportedly leaving for better paying jobs that expose them less to COVID-19, such as positions that allow them to work from home. Demand for workers is allowing for increased mobility in the labor market.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The numbers coincide with an already strapped healthcare staffing market. Shortages and burnout among healthcare staff have long been documented.
Yesterday, American Hospital Association President and CEO Rick Pollack urged action to support and grow the nation’s healthcare workforce.
This includes enacting the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, (HR 1667), which unanimously passed the Senate on August 6, 2021 and passed the House of Representatives on December 8, 2021. The Act aims to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout and mental and behavioral health conditions among healthcare professionals.