It is predicted by 2030, South Dakota will be one of seven states where the demand for registered nurses outpaces the supply. Now, a university-led effort is trying to get more RN’s in rural areas, in hopes they will make the workforce woes more manageable.
The University of South Dakota is making use of a $1 million grant by sending nursing students to hospitals in smaller towns for a clinical immersion experience.
Tausha Ramon-Hernandez, a nursing student at the university, part of the recent cohort, said she saw firsthand a team of shorthanded nurses showing high-level dedication during their shifts.
“With only two of them covering both the ER and med search, they were like nonstop running between call lights, checking on their patients and handling whatever came through the door,” Ramon-Hernandez recounted.
But the challenges did not appear to deter Ramos-Hernandez from the profession. Instead, she had a renewed respect for staff trying to hold things together in the face of limited resources. Program leaders said they hope such passion rubs off on the participating students, inspiring them to seek out job opportunities at rural health care facilities.
Katherine Hallstrom, another nursing student at the university, had her clinical immersion experience at Lead-Deadwood Hospital. She said the lack of specialty care stood out.
“Unlike the larger health care facilities, there’s no trauma teams, there’s no stroke teams,” Hallstrom observed.
She noted it means a nurse has to be well-rounded in their skills in how they respond. She added it taught her about the need for strong communication skills between the doctor and nurse on duty. The examples in South Dakota are being highlighted through a partnership with the Global Rural Nursing Exchange Network.
