Local hospitals look to recruit more nurses amid ongoing shortage
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - It was a year ago when the first person in the nation got the COVID vaccination.
Just days later, the first health care workers got their shots right here in the river region. The first shipment arrived at the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Dec. 16, 2020.
And the first people at Augusta University Health got their dose on Dec. 18.
A year ago, our local Georgia hospitals were caring for 197 COVID patients.
As of Monday, that number was down to 97.
Now we’re going on two years since the beginning of the pandemic. Health care workers have been on the frontlines since the start. We’ve told you about local hospitals experiencing nursing shortages. Now we’re checking in to see how they’re doing.
On Tuesday, Doctors Hospital held an event to recruit new nurses. The hospital is offering pay increases and sign-on bonuses.
The hospital says working there is like one big family. Everyone makes each other feels welcome. But it’s more than just treating the staff like family – it’s all about caring for your patient like family.
“Today it might be my husband in that bed, but tomorrow it might be their family member. But we want to make sure that everyone receives that level of care so we really want to promote that,” said Sherry Robbins, assistant chief nursing officer at the hospital.
Doctors Hospital says the field is wide open. It’s looking to fill positions in all of its units.
“There’s always opportunity to look at innovation and change and reassess really what it is that we’re doing as a profession, and we’ve done some different things along those lines to promote that to new nurses coming into the field,” said Robbins.
Doctors Hospital offers a program transferring students from the classroom to acute care in 16 weeks or less. They are looking at a dedicated education unit to partner nursing students to work alongside a nurse to see the full scope of the practice.
“We want to make sure we’re bringing you in and optimizing your opportunities with us,” Robbins said.
Augusta University Health also offers an academic work environment.
“The reason people get into nursing or into health care is because they want to help other people and so that opportunity now is greater than ever,” said Trey Bales, director of talent acquisition for AU Health.
You can apply online for both hospitals on their websites, AU Health and Doctors Hospital.
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