Pandemic Hardships Have Made Hawaii’s Nursing Shortage Even Worse … As nurses left the profession, bottlenecks in education made it hard to replace them.
Hawaii’s Covid-19 crisis has laid bare the serious shortage of nurses in the state, with thousands departing the profession and only a relative handful arriving to replace them.
Although Hawaii has the second-lowest Covid case count in the country and the second-lowest death rate, following only Vermont, the state’s health system remains under severe strain. Citing the ongoing dire situation, on Friday Gov. David Ige extended his emergency proclamation for two more months, continuing limitations on travel and restaurants and the ban on large gatherings, including sporting events and big weddings.
Pressed by reporters at a news conference to explain why Hawaii must continue its restrictions, Ige pointed to Hawaii’s remote location, which makes it hard to get medical help from elsewhere. While he defended the state’s health-care capacity as “good enough,” Ige acknowledged the state doesn’t have enough nurses available in the islands to meet its own needs.
“Clearly in the health care field, we don’t have sufficient employees,” he said, adding that hospital administrators are working hard to add more staff. The state has been dependent on bringing in some 650 health workers who are preparing to depart now, leaving the state once again relying on its own resources.
