AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF) – Nurses across Texas are concerned about a recent rise in cases in the state.
According to the Texas Nurses Association, hospitals have yet to recover from the nursing shortage in place before COVID and are now dealing with additional vacancies as exhausted nurses leave the profession.
“Nurses are burned out. ICU units are full,” said Cindy Zolnierek, PhD, RN, CAE, CEO of the Texas Nurses Association. “We are all tired of this; nurses are tired of this.”
Recent estimates from the Department of State Health Services show that 99.5% of deaths from COVID are unvaccinated people, and nurses confirm that most hospitalized patients are also unvaccinated. The TNA said that as admissions rise, nurses are more exposed and testing positive even when vaccinated.
“We are asking Texans to do their part to help beat the virus,” said Zolnierek. “If you can get vaccinated, do that as soon as possible. The virus is real. The vaccine is free, safe and effective. Even if you get COVID after vaccination, the vaccine can help keep you out of the hospital.”
TNA and the American Nurses Association supports mandatory vaccines in health care settings for COVID-19 and has signed on to the Joint Statement on Health Worker Vaccine Mandates, cosigned by over 40 organizations. Nurses are also working on local initiatives to close the vaccine equity gap and promote the vaccine.
Listen to Clayton Neville’s story below:
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