Ahead of the curve

A nursing shortage has not affected Valley Hospital as much as other hospitals around the country

PALMER — This week is National Nursing Week, but it may not be a week that is celebrated too much longer, as a nursing shortage has become a national issue. The shortage has not been felt as hard at Valley Hospital. Not yet, anyway.

Hospitals around the nation — including in Anchorage — are finding fewer and fewer nurses to fill more and more positions, creating a shortage that is strapping resources. At Valley Hospital, the shortage has not been felt as much, but it could be in the future.

"We are worried that we may fall into that trend, but we haven't yet," said Linda Olson, who runs the urgent care clinic at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Wasilla.

One reason the shortage is taking place around the country is an aging work force.

According to a Vanderbilt University School of Nursing national survey, the average age of nurses is 44, and rising. At Valley Hospital, the average age is 46.8 years, said a Valley Hospital spokesperson.

That age is slightly higher because many of the nurses at Valley Hospital have been there for several years — some between 20 and 25 years.

"That is the level of care we have decided to give to the community," said Elizabeth Ripley, director of community health planning at Valley Hospital. "We want very qualified nurses, and we have that here at the hospital. Many of our nurses have been committed to giving quality care in the Valley for a long time now."

As more and more of the nurses get older and eventually retire, fewer and fewer graduates are going into nursing to fill those positions.

"I think there are a number of reasons why the age of nurses is that high. It takes a certain maturity to enjoy nursing, and to do it well. There are a lot of options for young, smart women now, and there are easier ways to make a living. You have to be dedicated to nursing, and enjoy it," Olson said. "Nursing is a special calling."

At Valley Hospital, the only shortages are being seen in the areas of surgery and intensive care. Those units require a lot of training — something new nursing graduates do not have.

Geography also plays a part in the shortage in Alaska hospitals. There is only one nursing school in the state — at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

In turn, the number of nursing graduates is lower per capita than at other locations around the country, creating even more competition for younger nurses. Valley Hospital is affiliated with UAA, and through that affiliation, younger nurses are becoming more and more knowledgeable about Valley Hospital.

"Keeping that affiliation with the nursing school is very important, because it gets the students acquainted with our hospital and the programs we offer," Olson said.

Another reason the shortage is being felt is that wages for nurses have lagged behind those for other professions. Olson said that is changing, however.

"The wages are starting to approach those of other professions," Olson said. "At Valley Hospital, our wage and benefit package is comparable to other hospitals in our region."

At Valley Hospital, there are other attractions for nurses as well. Opportunities for more educational programs, training in clinical roles and flexibility in hours and job roles are some of the things Valley Hospital has provided to make nursing a more attractive profession.

"With the way the job is changing, hospitals have to be more flexible with what they offer," Olson said.