Hospital labor costs have risen more than a third over pre-pandemic levels, and contract labor is largely to blame1. In 2019, contract labor accounted for 2 percent of labor costs, but by 2022, its share of labor expenses had risen to 11 percent. During that same period, patient acuity rose by 10 percent and average length of stay increased by 19 percent.
While labor costs, patient acuity, and average length of stay continue to rise, the nursing profession faces a staffing crisis. Experienced baby-boom generation nurses are retiring in droves, while other nursing veterans are leaving or intend to leave due to poor job satisfaction and burnout. In one survey of 800,000 nurses in the U.S., just 15 percent of hospital nurses said they would continue in the same job for another year2. With fewer experienced nurses to oversee complex care, novice nurses-who are more likely to make medication errors or miss signs of life-threatening conditions-are left to pick up the slack.
Virtual nursing models of care extend reach and capabilities for bedside nurses and lessen the load for nurses at any experience level. Patient care improves and troubling signs are less likely to go unnoticed. Bedside nurses can practice at the top of their licenses as they benefit from additional training and mentorship, improved engagement, reduced fatigue, and better morale.
