Cambria County nurses see major improvement in shortage since pandemic peak
Four years ago, nurses and other medical professionals were working on the frontlines of the Coronavirus pandemic.
This – taking a toll on many – resulting in extreme nurse shortages across the country.
According to a report by the United States Chamber of Commerce there is still a present nursing shortage, but Cambria County nurses 6 News spoke with say it has improved immensely.
“It was a huge strain," said Kris O'Shea, Chief Nursing Officer with Conemaugh Medical Center as she reflected on the Covid-19 pandemic. "It’s like nothing I've ever seen. I’ve been a nurse for 45 years.”
Bethani Eicher, a Float nurse also at C.M.M.C said, “It was really difficult when the pandemic hit."
O'Shea and Eicher describe how intense the pandemic was in their profession.
“It was especially difficult for the patients and their families, but it was nice being part of that care and being able to be there for them,” Eicher said.
The United States Chamber of Commerce reports between 2020 and 2021 over one hundred thousand nurses left the profession.
“The folks in Johnstown, I think rallied around each other, but we were down to bare bones and so people worked really really hard to care for the community and there’s still that lingering exhaustion from Covid I believe,” said O'Shea.
O'Shea and Eicher tell Channel 6 over the past few years they have noticed the nursing shortage improve – especially locally.
“We hired over a hundred nurses last year," O'Shea added. "It was amazing.”
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center also grew their nurse ‘float’ team – which O'Shea says has provided excellent service to the area.
"So, were available to help all the floors, all the time," said Eicher. "I might be in cardiac one day and ICU the next day. Wherever we are needed we go and help.”
O'Shea said, “I just think I am so thankful for the nurses that we have, you know, nursing is a hard profession, but it gives back, and I think the more that we can recognize those folks that are giving to our community, it really makes a difference.”
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