RALEIGH, N.C. — Tackling North Carolina's health care shortage is happening with the help of key players.

What You Need To Know

  • NCDHHS and N.C. Department of Commerce released a report on investing in the state's caregiving workforce

  • The report warns of impending exodus from nursing by 2033

  • NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley helped author report

  • Durham Tech offers programs to address some of the needs in the report

Even though North Carolina isn’t physically expanding in geographical size, the number of people moving to the state keeps growing as many are planning to leave the health care industry.

The Investing in North Carolina’s Caregiving Workforce report, released by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and N.C. Department of Commerce, reveals a multitude of factors will lead to a vacuum of care in three key areas within the next 10 years, unless public, private, academic and clinical partners act now. 

“This is not a finish line by any means, but really a launchpad for where we need to go on (a) caregiving workforce for North Carolina,” N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley said.

Kinsley has weathered multiple health efforts and changes during his time as NCDHHS secretary.

The report, which uses data from academic and clinical settings, showed the economic and health care landscapes will evolve in the next 10 years. According to the report, there’s a projected combined shortage of more than 17,000 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to leave the field by 2033.

“This report aims to outline actions we can take today to support the caregiving workforce,” Kinsley said.

Kinsley said the Caregiving Workforce Strategic Leadership Council is forming a coalition of professionals across commerce, health care and education, along with public and private sectors, to facilitate three areas of caregiving:

  • Nursing
  • Behavioral Health Workers
  • Direct Care Personnel

“We on the other side of COVID-19, I think we all recognize and saw firsthand how strained our health care workforce was. It got into the ether in the way it hadn’t been before,” he said.

Kinsley said North Carolina must integrate forces to overcome current barriers and gaps in care to improve health care as a whole.

“North Carolina has not had that sort of coordinated effort centered on the caregiving workforce ever,” Kinsley said.

One hotbed of new talent has become the state’s community colleges.

Durham Tech Dean of Health and Wellness Melissa Ockert said two-year schools like hers are becoming the go-to training grounds for the workforce development of the next generation of the health sector.

“I really do think the community college has its finger on the pulse of what the community needs,” Ockert said.

Workforce needs are something Ockert knows well.

“We evaluate and look at this all the time,” Ockert said.

She said partnerships with health systems like Duke Health help address supply and demand.

“Because the old way is not working,” Ockert said.

Ockert believed these relationships tackle another problem too: using clinical instructors in place of a faculty shortage across campuses.

“They have really come to the table and provided manpower and added capacity” Ockert said.

How this will all play out, only time will tell, but Ockert believes the fulfillment of choosing this line of work can pay dividends for those who are interested.

“Health care is an incredible career, an incredible, rewarding career, and they have these opportunities available to them,” she said.