SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — A University of Michigan survey unveiled a concerning statistic. About 39% of nurses in Michigan say they intend to leave their jobs in the next year.
This is happening in a state where health care leaders say they are already dealing with vacancies and expect demand for care to increase as the population ages.
“Michigan nurses are telling the public they need help, and now it is time for the public to stand up for Michigan Nurses,” said Christopher R. Friese, PhD, RN, AOCN®, who is a University of Michigan Professor of Nursing, Health Management & Policy and led the survey.
Friese says it is troubling to see nearly four in ten nurses thinking about leaving their jobs, but there are things we can do.
“I think we have a window of time where we can right the ship,” he said, pointing to the concerns mentioned in the survey.
“We are getting through the ending of the pandemic and now we are trying to find our ground,” said Ami-Lee Brown, RN at Trinity Health Oakland.
Brown says the death and stress experienced had a lasting impact. Of nurses surveyed, 84% said they are experiencing emotional exhaustion and 60% complained about staffing levels.
“I do feel as a nurse that sometimes you go home feeling like you aren’t able to give the care you used to be able to, and it hurts because that is why you are here to give your best care,” said Brown.
“If before you were caring for three patients, now it might be five or as high as eight to ten depending on where you are working,” said James Walker, nurse and board member on the Michigan Nurses Association Board of Directors.
Walker is calling on Michigan lawmakers to introduce and pass laws that make Michigan more attractive to nurses.
“We need to pass laws that institute minimum nurse to patient ratios. We need laws that limit the number of hours nurses can work in a period,” said Walker.
“We have always recognized the important role nurses play in healthcare, but they are calling on us to not only hear them, but do do something. Something actionable,” said Doug Dascenzo, Regional Chief Nursing Officer for Trinity Health.
Dascenzo says the hospital system has numerous initiatives to support nurses. It made progress improving staffing levels in recent months.
“As long as our direct care givers recognize this is a partnership and we are all in it together and together we will work through it. I believe they will be inspired to stay,” he said.
“I know everyone is working as hard as they can to get us to the staffing levels we used to have,” said Brown.
Brown says she agrees with the message of the survey — improving those staffing levels is key. She says she wants those thinking about entering the profession to know, the pandemic didn’t just bring challenges - it is an example of how nurses make a life saving difference. She still is passionate about helping patients and loves being a nurse.
“We made it through the pandemic and I am so proud that we did. I don’t think it should scare anyone away. If we did this, they can do it too,” said Brown.
Trinity Health Michigan is hiring nurses and other in-demand jobs to improve staff to patient ratios.
Currently, it has four hiring fairs coming up in April.
- April 14 | 1-4 pm | Trinity Health Oakland | In person
- April 20 | 1-4 pm | Trinity Health Ann Arbor | In person
- April 20 | 1-4 pm | Trinity Health Grand Rapids | In person
- April 21 | 1-4 pm | Trinity Health Muskegon | In person
You can go to trinityhealthmi.com/joinus or text “Trinity” to 60184 to learn more.
