Where Ambition Meets Opportunity in Healthcare: Should You Move States?

A 2021 study conducted by Mercer contained damning predictions for the state of healthcare in the US in the following years, citing devastating loss of care for those who need it due to an understaffed and overwhelmed healthcare system. Things still seem to be heading for a difficult time for the healthcare industry, as in 2024, Mercer released a new report citing a nationwide shortage of around 100,000 personnel in healthcare.

One reason for this is that people are moving elsewhere to seek work, and according to Mercer, the south and south west will experience a surplus of medical talent while other states fall short. Therefore, in the hopes of combating the mounting healthcare crisis and potentially laying the groundwork for a better future, today we’re going to take a look at the best states for nurse practitioners, to help you determine if maybe your skills might be put to better use in a state that needs them more.

What is Causing the Shortage?

Although Mercer’s current numbers set out a reduced shortage than that of their 2021 study, the fact is that there is still very much a healthcare shortage, nurses and other healthcare staff being absolutely overwhelmed by how outnumbered they are by patients.

There are several reasons for this. First of all, an increased rate of longevity and life expectancy means that most patients are outliving their healthcare workers’ tenure. People retire, but their patients are still around, still in need of care. Second comes the rampant sexual and racial discrimination and abuse faced by non-white and female healthcare staff. Not only this but many healthcare staff consider their pay too low for the long hours, stressful work, and frequent abuse from patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to the challenging circumstances, as healthcare staff faced extraordinary stress and exhaustion. Many workers, overwhelmed by the relentless pressure, were compelled to resign from their positions due to burnout and severe fatigue, further complicating the situation. 

Currently, there’s not a lot in the way of long-term solutions, and with the president’s funding cuts to medical care and research, things aren’t likely to get better for a while.

What States Need Healthcare Workers?

There are many things to think about before moving states. Obviously, there are your personal connections. Your home, your family, your friends. It’s a lot to give up in order to pursue a career. But if you’re passionate enough, or you don’t have a lot tying you down where you currently live, it might simply be a question of where you can most likely earn a livelihood, or do the most good for the most people.

According to an article released earlier this year by Intelycare, the top states in need of healthcare workers are Idaho, New Mexico, Virginia, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. In Idaho, there are only around 5 healthcare professionals per 1000 people. South Carolina only has approximately 7 per 1000 people. 

Other Considerations

However, while it would be nice to be able to pack up our lives and just move to wherever needs us most, unfortunately, reality is a little more complicated. First of all, moving to a new home within your state is costly, let alone moving to another state entirely.

One of the chief considerations when moving is the cost of living where you’re moving to, as this will determine a lot about your long-term survivability and financial stress. Additionally is the state’s minimum wage for healthcare staff can be a determining factor in whether or not you decide to move. Also, in an intensive job like nursing, it may be worth examining each state’s turnover rate of healthcare workers, as this can be a decent indicator of workplace conditions and the state’s attitude toward how it treats its healthcare workers.

Availability of Work

However, it wouldn’t do well to move somewhere where there’s no opportunity for healthcare workers. After the stress and expense of moving, it wouldn’t be a good idea to then be left in an employment quagmire, resulting in financial and career doldrums.

Therefore, it would be prudent to check the availability of nursing and healthcare work in other states; in fact, that might even be the best starting point. Check which state has the most job opportunities, then check their COL (Cost of Living) index, and what the state pays its healthcare workers.

The healthcare and medical professions are based on altruism, but unfortunately, the US is a difficult place to be in healthcare right now, whether you’re a patient or a worker. If you’re not getting the resources you need to be able to finance your life, it may be worth taking a look at the current state of the industry and deciding whether or not your talents and skills might better serve a community elsewhere.