JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to appreciate anything, it’s the frontline health workers like nurses.
Senator Audrey Gibson showed her thanks Thursday as she gave the Florida Nurses Association a check written out for $800,000 dollars.
As COVID-19 cases surge, the nation continues to grapple with a nursing shortage.
The $800,000 dollars will help the Florida Center for Nursing collect data and find out exactly where Florida needs more nurses.
”There’s not enough nurses worldwide, or nationwide, in order to prevent the shortages,” Dr. Deborah Brabham said.
Action News Jax has reported on the nursing shortage for months.
According to the University of St. Augustine Health Services, 1.2 million new registered nurses will be needed by 2030 to address the current shortage.
It comes at a time where local COVID-19 cases are surging because of the Delta variant.
”Nurses are leaving the bedside in fear of COVID-19,” Brabham added.
Brabham says the funding will also help the Florida Center for Nursing pay nurses’ salaries, train them, and tutor aspiring nurses.
Brabham says shortages are felt in almost every area of nursing including faculty, research, hospitals, and primary care.
With the money, the Florida Center for Nursing will look at where nurses are retiring, and plan on how many new nurses will need to be recruited and trained.
”Without the nurses, there’s no patient care, there’s no comfort, there’s no pain management, there’s no emotional support, there’s no personal care and hygiene, so we’ve gotta have nurses in order to take care of the sick and especially our elderly population who’s be most vulnerable to this outbreak of COVID-19,” she said.
Brabham says having nurses to care for the sick and elderly -- especially during the pandemic -- is paramount.
©2021 Cox Media Group
