Nurses Share Their Predictions for Healthcare in 2022

It’s a tough time to be a nurse. The Omicron variant, new CDC guidelines, and rising hospitalization rates are putting providers through the ringer as they try to take care of more patients than normal. Many staffers are out sick with the virus, and some facilities have had to temporarily pause services until these providers feel well enough to come back to work.

With a grim start to the new year, we asked nurses what they think will happen to the industry in 2022. Is this the beginning of the end of the pandemic, or are things about to get much worse?

Mass resignations and increased mental health issues. Government continues to devalue the nursing profession.

Aled

An amazing unbelievably big pay raise scheduled to increase every month actually happens…

All patients that have ever been abusive to us come to apologize and bring a big box of chocolates for every episode…

All clinical settings close for major holidays and families take over the care for those occasions…

Government officials actually keep a promise to protect health services…

Funding for all clinical settings is improved as is staffing and training…

Breaks are honored as is free work parking and free meals to all staff…

Terms like recruitment, retention and staff satisfaction are used as serious almost gospel like terms…

Gary

The collapse of the health system…

Rebecca

We all become strippers.

Jamie

It looks like management is finally going to fully realize the importance and value of nurses.

Betty

Nurses leaving in droves as the trauma of the past two years catches up with us and we realize that even though the public appreciates us, they will never truly understand.

Bridget

I graduated in May with my BSN and have taken the NCLEX once and haven’t passed. I have worked as a CNA for the past 19 years and now with all these mandates, I feel like college and nursing school was a huge waste of my time and money! I’m scheduled to take the NCLEX again but am struggling with staying focused because my heart just isn’t in it right now with how poorly nurses and other healthcare professionals have been treated!

Cassie

My heart goes out to you all, especially the nurses that are hospital based. I know you are all very compassionate and loyal workers. But you all can’t continue working like this. Stand united together, go on strike as this I feel is the only way this corrupt government may change the huge issues with the health system ??❤️??

Janine

More of the same disaster of the last 2 years, but now with more new grads, and less experienced nurses to train them.

Corinne

Not good. Just retired in December 2021 after 48 years in the profession. The decline started long before COVID came along. Nurses are burned out with the demands of the job taking you away from the bedside that we were trained to do. There is so much politics involved, and it seems upper management worries more about the $$ side than the bedside care the nurse does. With all the “extra” requirements I’m surprised with how many have stayed. It seems the computer is more important than the person in the bed. I’ve done and seen so many changes over the years. Am grateful for the profession I chose but am glad to be done with it. God Bless those working!

Libby

Nurses will lose their passion, become mentally unstable due to stress and trauma from the pandemic.

Leano

There will be no more nurses in 2022. Just corpses going thru the motions.

Jessica

Double pay

Good staffing

Kind patients

No more COVID

Be positive ??✌️

Francis

More nurses will be looking for a career change.

Diane

Being even more burnt out.

Serena

Going to get out. 30 yrs of never being listened to. Some by docs, some by coworkers, some by managers, some by administration. Tired, arthritic, frustrated. Less stress is in order!

By spring I will be done. Newer nurses don’t have the same caring attitude as ‘old school’ nurses. They seem to think being a nurse only means passing out meds! Thank you to the nurses that still have that caring attitude for patients, residents and co-workers.

Deb

Questioning whether NP school was the right idea and if I should just deliver pizza and be happy instead.

Alise

I work in long-term care and can see more and more nursing homes close due to staffing shortages. We can’t admit because we have no staff so we can’t make enough money to keep facilities afloat.

Wendy

Doctors will carry out their own orders. ?

Francis

As long as we keep turning up & doing our job role the best we can, then there is hope ?

Keep smiling under them masks!

Rach

I would like to cancel my subscription to 2022. I’ve experienced the free 7-day trial and I’m not interested.

Solange

Still trying to figure out what level of Jumanji we are on!

Kris

Travel nursing. If I’m going to work short staffed in shitty conditions, why not make some money!

Mel

All the nurses will have HTN and Diabetes because of the pizza parties and donuts that the CEOs give us instead of PPE, safe staffing, and better pay.

Lindsay

For better or worse, 2022 is sure to be a wild year for the healthcare industry. Thanks to everyone that shared their predictions online.