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Hawaiʻi nursing workforce has improved over last few years, according to new report

FILE PHOTO - A registered nurse retrieves medications for her patients at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Damian Dovarganes
/
AP
FILE PHOTO - A registered nurse retrieves medications for her patients at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Hawai‘i has seen an uptick in its nursing workforce, according to a 2023 Nursing Workforce Supply Report released this week. The report shows some improvement since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020.

There was a 31% increase in the number of advanced practice registered nurses and an 18% rise in registered nurses.

The number of licensed practical nurses also improved, although some nurses out-of-state may tamper with the overall availability of nurses in Hawai‘i.

“While the tumultuous years during and immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic are behind us, it is important that we continue to deploy recruitment and retention strategies which maintain our access to nurses, particularly through efforts that foster a positive working environment and enhance lifelong professional development opportunities,” said Laura Reichhardt, director of the Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, in a Wednesday news release.

The report also shows that there’s higher job satisfaction and the hiring prospects for new graduate nurses remain favorable.

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