LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The numbers are in and they are no good, but Kentucky Hospital Association leaders say they are optimistic about the future if changes are made.

What You Need To Know

  • Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) releases study on hospital staffing

  • KHA reports Kentucky is short 6000 nurses 

  • Kentucky lags in other hospital positions, lab techs, imaging, respiratory therapists  

  • KHA reports in 2022 nearly 23% of Kentucky RNs either quit or retired

The Kentucky Hospital Association says there is a significant shortage of nurses in hospitals across the state and it will take years to rebound, but only if the state double downs on recruiting and retaining working nurses and medical staff.

Leaders with KHA say the state is short 6000 registered nurses and there’s lagging numbers of lab techs, imaging and respiratory therapists. KHA President Nacny Galvagni said their study shows it’ll take years to cultivate a more competitive working environment and to attract people to pursue nursing.

Part of the shortage is attributed to a fallout during the pandemic, prompting thousands of health care workers to leave and others to not enter the field in the first place

“So to do this we’re focused on three areas: expanding Kentucky’s workforce pipeline, removing barriers to health care education, retaining the health care workforce and redesigning models of care,” KHA President Galvagni said.

Another sobering number laid out by the KHA is in 2022, 23% of Kentucky RNs either quit or retired and the number of nurses entering the field just about cover that loss, however, the state is already short thousands of nurses.

Galvagni said stakeholders need to work together and do so for years to dig the state out of this shortage and includes exposing more high school students to health care careers, increasing the number of scholarship and training opportunities and be aggressive in encouraging current RN’s to stay in the field if they are considering a different line of work.

Galvagni said their study shows Kentucky needs a 21% increase of RNs and a 63% increase in LPNs to close this gap by 2035. 

“The questioned was asked what’s the most aggressive thing we’ve done to address this issue and I think the last legislative session we made some great capital investment in our educational system to open up that pipeline. Certainly we have to work on sustaining the pipeline,” said State Sen. Stephen Meredith.

While the number of nurses entering the field just about covers the loss, the state is already short thousands of nurses.

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