Hospital takes matters into their own hands after employee shortage

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Since the pandemic, the number of healthcare workers has dropped and many hospitals in the US are in dire need of team members.

Today, OCH medical center held a job fair to look for their next employees.

It has been two and a half years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And it has taken a toll on the workforce in various ways.

One of the areas that were hardest hit was the people who were taking care of the patients.

Healthcare workers, especially nurses, left their job behind for various reasons, including burnout from high patient loads and long hours. Many have not come back, and some hospitals are still short-staffed.

At OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville, they are taking matters into their own hands by holding a job expo to recruit new members to the team.

Chief Nursing Officer Gloria Boyd says patients have not quit coming, but there are fewer professionals to look after them.

“Since the pandemic of 2020 we are receiving more patients who are very sick and requiring more care and the nurse-patient ratio has gone up around the world,” said Boyd.

More people in the office equals better care.

That is why Boyd says she is working hard to increase the number of nurses.

“We are trying to keep the ratio to a low 6 to 1 or less than that and as we hire nurses in we feel like our nurses will be able to do better care to our patients and the outcome will be better,” said Boyd.

Director of Respiratory Therapy Wes Andrews says events like this help them find the right employees.

“I think it’s important to let the public know the opportunities that we as an organization have that can help them professionally and to help them grow in a level really just to practice the art of caring for a large group of patients,” said Andrews.

Andrews adds that not only are you gaining knowledge but you are also caring for people in your community.

“What we focus on here in our department is growing the profession and if you want a quality professional that wants to care for patients again. It’s the personal touch that comes to the bedside. It’s the difference you make when you look in the patient’s eyes and you really get to see that fact of what we are doing makes a difference,” said Andrews.

OCH plans to hold another job fair before the end of the year.

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