Florida will be short nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035, report says

| 10/5/2021

Florida will be short nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035, report says

Florida didn’t have enough nurses before the COVID-19 pandemic. It doesn’t have enough nurses today. In a decade and a half, the shortage could be catastrophic. That’s the main takeaway from a report commissioned by the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida on the nursing shortage in the Sunshine State. With too few nurses entering the profession and so many leaving in droves, the state is projected to be short 59,100 nurses by 2035, the report says. More from the Miami Heraldand WESH.

Deal makes Florida company largest marijuana retailer

Trulieve, the state’s largest medical marijuana operator, is now the nation’s biggest cannabis retailer, after closing on a $2.1 billion deal to acquire former competitor Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. The transaction marks a major development in Florida, where Harvest held one of 22 licenses to cultivate, process and sell medical marijuana to a growing patient population, and in the nation’s rapidly expanding pot industry. Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers called the closing of the deal a “transformational milestone” in her Gadsden County-based company’s brief history. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Get a flu shot and the COVID vaccine to help Florida avoid a ‘twindemic’

Flu cases in Florida dropped to a record low last year, thanks to COVID-19 precautions. “People were wearing masks, social distancing, and washing their hands, all of which is extremely effective in preventing the flu,” said Dr. Nishant Anand, BayCare’s executive vice president and chief medical officer. The Florida Department of Health reported that the percentage of flu patients in emergency rooms and urgent cares during the 2020-2021 season was below the average percent of flu patients in the previous three seasons combined. Florida may not be so fortunate this flu season. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Health experts see increase in suicidal thoughts as people become more isolated during pandemic

As COVID-19 case numbers continue to improve in Florida, health experts are hoping the same happens to suicide rates, especially as Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close. Psychologist Dr. James Huysman, the Chief Compassion Officer with the Florida medical group WellMed, is among those in the mental health community who have seen an increase in suicidal thoughts in patients as people have become more isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Source: WTVT]

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop

The number of Florida patients hospitalized with COVID-19 continued to drop during the weekend. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services posted data Monday showing that Florida hospitals had 4,847 inpatients with COVID-19, down from 5,414 on Friday. The data Monday also showed 1,307 patients with COVID-19 in intensive-care unit beds, down from 1,425 on Friday. [Source: News Service of Florida]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Physicians across Florida sign onto letter questioning Ladapo as next surgeon general [Gainesville Sun]
More than 100 physicians across Florida have posted a letter addressed to the Florida Senate questioning the opposition by the state's new surgeon general to COVID-19 precautions such as mask mandates and his advocacy for alternatives to vaccination against the disease. While Ladapo's published views align with many of DeSantis' policy positions, they place him at odds with some of his colleagues nationally and federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

› Federal funding will help Pinellas Community Health Centers expand services for women, children [Health News Florida]
Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan will help Community Health Centers of Pinellas relocate and expand its Clearwater services for women and children from underserved communities. The Pinellas nonprofit organization will receive $1.1 million from the $1 billion in federal funding announced Sept. 28 for 1,300 health centers around the country. Florida’s share of the funding totaled $39.7 million.

› Jacksonville building permit clears way for Baptist Medical Center South renovations [Florida Times-Union]
Baptist Medical Center South recently secured a building permit for $5.06 million for the interior renovations. The overhaul will encompass 16,897 square feet at the medical center at 14550 Old St. Augustine Road in Jacksonville. Auld & White Constructors LLC will handle the project.

› Bradenton-based medical center names new CEO, president [Business Observer]
The Blake Medical Center in Bradenton recently announced a new CEO and president. Steve Nierman stepped into the role in September. He is the former president of Winter Haven Hospital and the Polk market lead for BayCare Health System. “Steve brings to the Blake Medical Center team a stellar track record in market leadership, service excellence, quality focus, and community engagement,” says Dr. Ravi Chari, president of HCA Healthcare West Florida Division, in a release.

Tags: Health Care eNews

Previous Health Care Updates:

Florida hospitals: Building boom

College crime surging back to pre-COVID levels. Here's the crime at Florida colleges, universities

Florida insurance market full of ‘low quality' companies, study finds

Sunshine State manufacturing is a powerhouse, rivals tourism