Imminent vaccine mandates could worsen hospital shortages

TAMPA, Fla. — As the Biden administration works out details in its mandate for millions of health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, some frontline workers in our area fear this could lead to vital hospital employees quitting, just as flu season starts alongside the pandemic.

"Nurses and our interprofessional colleagues are suffering from exhaustion, from burnout conditions,” said Dr. Rayna Letourneau, a nurse with more than 20 years of experience. Through the University of South Florida College of Nursing, she now trains hundreds of other nurses on the frontlines.

"We are seeing an increased number of healthcare professionals, leave jobs at the bedside, which is putting our hospitals and our patients at risk because there just aren't going to be enough nurses,” said Letourneau.

Adding to those shortage concerns, the Biden administration's requirement that healthcare workers are vaccinated if they work in a facility that gets federal dollars from Medicare and Medicaid.

"We've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” President Biden said of unvaccinated Americans earlier this month.

Some of the hospitals in the Tampa Bay area, like Johns Hopkins All Children's in St. Pete, already had vaccine mandates in place. Others, like Tampa General Hospital said they would comply with the new mandate. In early September, TGH said 74 percent of its staff has received the vaccine.

"We don't want to lose more nurses because of hospital, vaccination mandates. However, it's really important for hospitals to be able to put these mandates in place to ensure that we are not spreading diseases and potentially increasing risks to our patients,” said Letourneau.

Letourneau says data shows most healthcare workers want to be vaccinated, but for those who aren't, getting to the root causes of their decision is key.

“Let's find out why. Do they not have the skill set to evaluate research?” she said. "Or, what can we offer them to help give them more information so that then they can make a decision and hopefully become vaccinated.”