COLUMBIA − Hospitals have been experiencing workforce shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic, but shortages aren’t the only factor that is affecting mid-Missouri hospitals. MU Health Care is seeking to increase diversity in its positions.
The Missouri Hospital Association says registered nurses make up the largest single cohort of hospital employees in Missouri, but there is currently a need for more than 8,000 of them. MU Health Care is offering programs that allow anyone, regardless of background, to apply.
Shanon Fucik, chief nursing officer at MU Health Care, says their entire organization, as well as many industries around the country, are experiencing workforce shortages. She says they’re not just trying to fill those vacant positions.
“We definitely are working with our local high schools and different areas of schools of nursing to bring in whoever from whatever diverse background,” Fucik said.
MU Health Care is working with MU’s Sinclair School of Nursing to offer more opportunities. The health care company recently received a workforce training grant from the Missouri’s Department of Economic Development to educate and train 300 undergraduate students.
The goal is that those students become the next generation of frontline workers caring for mid-Missourians.
“These short-term workers working as students will help fortify our frontline teams to be able to provide care to patients,” Fucik said.
Nursing is a female-dominated profession. According to the 2022 Nursing Report from the Missouri Healthcare Workforce Project, 90.8% of RNs are women and 88.1% are RNs are white.
Despite the difference, male nurses make around $10,000 more, according to a 2015 study by the American Journal of Nursing.
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Wade Spilman, a male nurse at University Hospital, says the job takes dedication but is rewarding.
“We need more people to care about other people,” Spilman said. “I think it makes a big difference to have somebody who genuinely cares about what they are doing and the stuff that they do.”
Stephenson Crain, who is also a nurse at University Hospital, said one of his favorite reasons for being a nurse is being able to see the stories of recovery.
“It’s definitely rewarding to feel like you make a difference in someone’s life,” Crain said. “We get a lot of sick patients here so its nice to get to see them leave the ICU.”
He said those interesting in medicine or helping people should give nursing a try.
“We are short on nurses, so really if there is anybody that likes helping people whether you are a man or a woman, go to nursing school, we need you,” he said.
There are also many different types of nursing jobs.
“We sometimes joke that even if you have a nursing job and you don’t like it, there’s so many more you can just pick a different one,” Crain said.
For more information on the different programs offered through MU Health Care, visit MuHealth.org.