Emerging Trends in Healthcare 2022

Many trends took place in 2021. Some of those were:  

• Increase in telehealth  
• Increase in privacy concerns  
• Demand for specialization increased  
• Nurses shifting to an outpatient setting
• Increase in demand for nursing doctorate  
• Increase in online education for nursing students  

These are just a few of the trends in nursing for 2021. There are more healthcare trends in 2022 on the horizon, and we will look at some of these below.  

Statistics show us that the remainder of the baby boomer generation is set to retire in 2030. Therefore, changes in healthcare delivery will be required to meet complex medical needs. Leaders in nursing expect to see some of these healthcare trends in 2022, and they will affect the management and delivery of healthcare.

At this time, there is a nursing shortage in the U.S. This is due to a variety of factors, including the following:  

• Pandemic led to an increased demand for care  
• Nursing educators retiring, which means less nursing faculty  
• Pandemic led to burnout for many medical professionals  
• Overall population has an increase in complex medical needs  
• Nursing staff are retiring  
• Increased nursing shortage in rural areas.  

Job growth is affected by supply and demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth through 2030 is expected to be 9% for R.N.s. On the other hand, job growth for advanced practice nurses is expected to be 45% through that same period.  

Advantis Medical can help nurses find the jobs they want. You can find thousands of job opportunities in the allied health and travel nursing job portal on AdvantisConnect.  

Another emerging trend in healthcare in the U.S. is an increase in the demand for home health services. This is due to the aging population. Of course, the pandemic did have an unexpected effect on the need for these services. Home health services are necessary for those at an increased risk of medical complications when exposed to COVID-19.  

As this need for home healthcare increases, a healthcare recruiting trend for 2022 is experts calling for standardization. This includes standard onboarding/vetting procedures such as background checks, social security verification, and verification of experience and certifications.  

Luckily, Advantis Medical can help with healthcare staffing for facilities in need of verified, certified, and quality team members. With a large pool of eager travel nurses and a large community, we meet demands in a short time frame.

The third of healthcare trends in 2022 will be a shift in care models, primarily due to the pandemic. There are two fundamental mechanisms to the delivery of care:  

• Mode of delivery
• Skills of nurses on the unit  

During times of crisis, healthcare models must evolve from traditional models to more agile ones that support patients' best care.

Staffing must be based on the competency of the staff and the level of care required for patients- therefore, during times of crisis, a team-based approach with an increase in floating nurses should be implemented. Care models must support the organization and the ability of the nurse to deliver excellent patient care.  

Nursing School Transformed with Virtual Simulation and Tech

Due to advances in technology, online learning within nursing schools has evolved, which has been critical in addressing the nursing shortage worldwide. As we move into 2022, colleges and universities will continue to move to online classes to reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

The popularity of Online Nursing Programs will Increase

According to the experts, online nursing programs will become more popular. Online learning was used during the pandemic to reduce the spread- but these options are expected to continue well into 2022- and perhaps even beyond.

Increase in Demand for Training/Higher Education  

As medical facilities struggle through the nursing shortage, they mustn't neglect training and education for their staff. When considering nurse placements, the appropriate training for each role is vital. Only with the training/education of permanent staff, travel nurses, and temporary nurses, the staff will remain up to date on skills.  

For the fifth of the healthcare trends in 2022, we will see that the wellbeing of healthcare staff will become a priority. The pandemic has called attention to the importance of the mental health of nurses. After all, the stress, burnout, and traumatic experiences related to the pandemic are what have led to the nursing shortage. By cultivating a supportive, healthy work environment, medical facilities can ensure their staff operates at their best. This results in positive outcomes for patients and allows the facility to fulfill its mission of caring for others.

Next on the list of healthcare trends for 2022 are the undesirable side effects caused by the nursing shortage. This shortage had already started before the pandemic- but the added stress of COVID-19 increased burnout and led to a mass exodus from the nursing profession.  

This could lead to bidding wars and price escalations for contingent nursing staff, which could ultimately lead to changes in healthcare recruiting for 2022. This means that hospitals and staffing companies must work together to ensure the hospitals have the best contingent staff to meet their needs.  

Patient Care May be Affected by Short-term Solutions

Chances are, patient care will be affected by short-term solutions to the nursing shortage. This is known as the experience-complexity gap. Basically, due to the shortage, medical facilities will have to depend on unskilled/inexperienced nurses to meet the needs of their patients.  

Medical facilities will have to make sure their new nurses are taught efficiently and must make sure to work their nurses with more experience across each unit.  

Advantis Medical only accepts nurses looking to travel with at least one year of experience, all require certifications, and a proven positive track record. If you’re looking for help staffing, contact us.

As a nurse, you must be aware of healthcare recruiting trends for 2022 to prepare yourself for crisis nursing. Advantis Medical would love to help you find the job you're looking for. You can find thousands of jobs on the AdvantisConnect job portal, and we are here to help you when you're ready.