Columbus County combating health care worker shortage

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — There appears to be a shortage of health care workers in Columbus County and they’re workshopping ways to make up for it. 

The demand is high and job listing sites are showing it.  

The people WWAY spoke with said it’s important they fill these roles to continue giving adequate care to the community. 

“Really, most anything you can think of in the health care field – there is a need,” Southeastern Community College Nursing Program Director Jessica Hill said. 

Kim Smith is Columbus County’s Health Director. She said hospitals and medical offices must get creative to fill shoes.  

She said utilizing travel nurses is more common than not in the past few years. She also noted that many places are taking on students still in their programs to get some extra help. This, in turn, helps students get clinical hours needed to graduate.  

Smith said she recently attended a statewide health director conference where she learned that Columbus County may not be alone.  

“It’s not just the small rural hospitals that are affected by this. It’s the large metropolitan hospitals and health departments,” Smith said. 

Smith said the bright side is that in terms of public health, like the Columbus County Health Department, they are looking good with medical staffing and just need more administrative employees.  

Jessica hill is Southeastern Community College’s Nursing Program Director. She said the college is working to recruit more students – to help combat the problem.  

She even encourages current Columbus County residents looking to pursue a career in nursing to do so at home and later give back, by working here at home too.  

 “We have a really well, established program and some longtime good results of Southeastern graduates,” Hill said. “A lot of benefit both here at school in the classroom, in the lab, and in the local facilities we go to do clinical.” 

Both Smith and Hill said to be good patients and be patient with your health care workers as they navigate this tough time.