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There Are Not Nearly Enough Nurses to Handle the Surge of Coronavirus Patients: Here’s How to Close the Gap Quickly

Author(s): 

Joanne Spetz

Date: 
March 31, 2020
Source: 
Health Affairs

Recent analyses have raised concerns about whether the United States has enough hospital capacity for a surge of patients needing care for COVID-19 infections. But even if we can double or triple the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds, we don’t have enough nurses to staff them. How can we mobilize enough nurses to take care of hospitalized COVID-19 patients? This article explores possibilities.