Word coming to TNN suggesting of a mass exodus of nurses from the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB),
especially over the last 12 to 14 months.
While TNN accepts that there is a shortage of nurses worldwide, one has to question why so many are leaving here in Bermuda.
Late last year, TNN published an article about six nurses who left the hospital’s dialysis unit within a six-week period and, after sending queries to the hospital’s media relations staff, here is
the response we received:
“Globally hospitals and healthcare systems are challenged with nurse turnover, and the pandemic has exacerbated this pressure. The International Council of Nurses has noted that globally more nurses have left their jobs since the pandemic started.
BHB is not immune from
these pressures, but is maintaining a manageable vacancy rate for nurses.”
“ In a paper by the US ‘Nursing Solutions Inc’ (2022 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staff Report), which reports on a survey of over 3,000 hospitals in the US, the national nurse
vacancy rate is at 17%, with over eighty percent of the hospitals experiencing vacancy rates in excess of 10%.
Currently, BHB’s vacancy rate for nurses is 11%.BHB is therefore doing better
than the majority of hospitals in the US. In real numbers for BHB, 64 nurses left between 1 March 2021 and 30 April (the last 14 months).”
“ During the same 14 months, 48 new nurses joined BHB and 33 nurses have been appointed and are going through the process of commencing employment with BHB.”
“ Like other hospitals, there are a range of reasons that the pandemic has increased the number of nurses leaving their jobs around the world from career changes, relocations, personal
reasons, dissatisfaction with their existing role(s), family obligations, and, specific to Bermuda, the cost of living or the ending of guest worker contracts.”
This response does not directly answer our query of why over 100 nurses have left BHB within the last 14 months, stay tuned to TNN for further updates on this developing story.
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Story by TNN Reporter Stefano Ausenda