Nurses are having a conversation at a hospital in California, USA. This is unrelated to the article. Photo by AFP News Agency
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] In the United States, despite rising salaries due to the surge in demand for nurses after COVID-19, hospitals are experiencing severe staffing shortages as the number of confirmed cases sharply increases with the rise of the Omicron variant.
On the 25th (local time), AFP reported, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for nurses in the U.S. surged, improving their working conditions. In particular, the preference for 'travel nurses,' who are not affiliated with a single institution and move according to demand, has increased even more."
According to U.S. labor industry statistics, in 2020, the wages of travel nurses rose by 35% compared to the previous year, and last year, they increased by another 40%, reaching $8,000 per week (approximately 9.57 million KRW).
AFP stated, "U.S. travel nurses find jobs through job search sites, and contracts usually last 3 to 4 months. The income they earn during the contract period is comparable to what regular nurses earn in a year."
Nevertheless, as the Omicron variant spreads and COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. rise to the highest levels since the global pandemic began, American hospitals are reporting severe staffing shortages.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as of the 14th, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 157,272, the highest since the pandemic began.
The New York Times, citing Health and Human Services data, reported that nearly half of the 50 states?24 states?have hospital bed occupancy rates exceeding 80%. In particular, 18 states including Alabama, Missouri, and New Mexico, as well as the capital Washington DC, have adult intensive care unit bed occupancy rates exceeding 85%.
Meanwhile, according to U.S. Health Department data, about one-quarter of U.S. hospitals have reported 'severe staffing shortages' to authorities.
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