NURSE SHORTAGE COULD BE CURED BY IMMIGRANTS

The demand for nurses is especially critical and is expected to worsen when thousands more leave the workforce in the next five years. According to a new report by the American Immigration Council on the economic contributions of immigrants in Ohio, job postings for registered nurses rose 62 percent and 187 percent for nursing assistants between 2017 and 2021. There are many qualified immigrants who could help fill those roles; however, the US immigration laws are too strict. Medical boards are set by each state and they are too restrictive. There needs to be pathways that allow them to apply their experience and coursework towards a license. It doesn’t make sense to ask an internationally trained nurse with five to 10 years of experience to go back to nursing school to take basic classes. Some possible solutions should include offering intermediate licenses or awarding credit for professional experience or requiring targeted professional development. This could bridge the gap between the need for qualified workers and the supply of people who are ready to help.