ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida hospitals have been struggling with the nursing shortage since the pandemic.


What You Need To Know

  • Nationwide, there has been a downward trend in nurses and nursing school applicants

  • ICU nurse Megan Kelley says younger nurses have a learning curve that needs to be addressed so they can succeed in the field

  • HCA Healthcare hospitals are now offering new incentives to recruit and retain nurses

HCA Healthcare hospitals are now offering new incentives to recruit and retain nurses.

Several nurses, including ICU nurse Megan Kelley, are also taking part in a mentorship program. 

Between her contagious laugh and pink hair, it's easy to recognize Kelley in the halls of HCA Florida Pasedena Hospital. 

"The pink hair started at the tale end of COVID," she said. "All nurses started doing it — I feel like it was our badge of honor."

Kelley said she first walked the floors of the hospital as a student. 

"We're so perfectly made when things are all going right that I love it," she said. "That's why, part of the reason why, I got into nursing."

Now a mother of two and 10 years into her profession, she said she feels like the hospital is her second home because of the camaraderie among the nurses. 

"I've seen it all from life to death," she said. 

When the pandemic forced hospitals into lockdown two years ago, Kelley said many nurses, including herself, were stretched to the limit. 

"It was different, because people were so isolated that you couldn't give them that last moment to hold hands with their family member, and give them a kiss on the cheek and give them a hug," Kelley said. "So you were that hand, you were that hug, even if you were all gowned up and saying goodbye, that it was OK. That it's OK to accept that we can't fix it.

"And that was the hardest thing, because nurses are fixers. We fix it. And we couldn't fix it." 

COVID-related hospital stays have declined since the beginning of the year. 

Nationwide, there has been a downward trend in the number of working nurses and nursing school applicants.

"With COVID, student nurses weren't allowed in the hospital," Kelley said. 

Limited access to hands-on experience meant fewer nurses were available to meet the demand. 

"Our jobs as nurses became like firefighters, where you are putting your life on the line in a new way that you have never done before," she said.

Kelley sad younger nurses have a learning curve that needs to be addressed so they can succeed in the field.

"We actually started new mentorship program for nurses so they feel more supported," she said. "We'll be able to close that gap, hopefully."

In addition, HCA Healthcare has implemented incentives like sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement and stock purchasing plan to help recruit and retain new nursing staff.