ICN predicts growing global nursing shortage

During a press briefing Dec. 10, International Council of Nurses (ICN) CEO Howard Catton told reporters the percentage of nurses who intend to leave their jobs doubled during the pandemic, exacerbating a global nursing shortage estimated at 6 million prior to 2020. At least 115,000 nurses died of COVID-19, he said, and another 4.75 million will soon be retiring. Wealthy countries, which already have 10 times as many nurses per capita as poorer nations, are actively recruiting nurses from overseas. “Governments need to be thinking about the life support package of measures they need to be putting together to invest in their nurses and their health care workers next year," he said. (Medscape article, 12/13/21)