There Are Not Nearly Enough Nurses to Handle the Surge of Coronavirus Patients: Here’s How to Close the Gap Quickly

Date: 03/31/2020
Source: There Are Not Nearly Enough Nurses to Handle the Surge of Coronavirus Patients: Here’s How to Close the Gap Quickly
Author(s): Joanne Spetz

 

Recent analyses have raised concerns about whether the United States has enough hospital capacity for a surge of patients needing care for COVID-19 infections. But even if we can double or triple the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, we don’t have enough nurses to staff them. How can we mobilize enough nurses to take care of hospitalized COVID-19 patients? This article explores possibilities.