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The NSLFP was established by the Florida Legislature in 1989 to provide a financial incentive for those pursuing a career in nursing to seek employment in areas of the state where nursing shortages exist. The program is structured to assist in the repayment of nursing education loans.
The pandemic exacerbated crucial mental health and substance use services across the nation. The mental health crisis in Florida is on the rise, highlighting the urgent need for trained behavioral health professionals to deliver these services. Moreover, Florida ranks 43rd in the nation with a patient-to-provider ratio of 550:1, in comparison to Massachusetts, the top-ranked state, with a ratio of 140:1.
Florida hospitals and health care providers are showing signs of improvement in the workforce compared to last year, but continue to face challenges with critical staffing shortages, exponential increases in labor costs, and an ongoing dependency on temporary staffing and travel nurses. While there has been progress, the situation remains concerning.
The analysis presented here was surveyed from Florida hospitals to gather data on hospital workforce staffing issues such as vacancy and turnover rates. This data highlights the strides made since last year but also underscores the persistent and very dire situation Florida’s hospitals are still facing.