Door County Medical Center is doing what it can now to address a potential shortage of 19,000 nurses statewide 15 years from now. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development released a grim forecast last month, pointing to demographic pressures in the workforce. Current registered nurses are aging out of the workforce, leading to high vacancy rates of registered nurses in Wisconsin hospitals and a low unemployment rate. Door County Medical Center has been proactive in addressing the concern locally. In 2023, Door County Medical Center combined forces with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to create the Start the Path to a Rewarding Career (SPARC program) to help future Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Medical Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Registered Nurses complete the work they need to jumpstart their careers. Christa Krause from Door County Medical Center is proud of what the program has accomplished and how well the hospital has retained the people they have on their team.

The state is suggesting extra efforts to retain current nurses, advancing measures that would allow nurses to care for more patients, and supporting public health to reduce the number of patients to help balance the nursing shortage. You can read the full report by clicking on this link.