Hawaii is facing a severe health care worker shortage. A shortage is extremely detrimental to public health, particularly in an island state like ours where residents do not have the opportunity to travel easily to other states to receive the care they need.
As students who would like to have careers in health care, we are concerned about our future and our ability to make a difference in Hawaii and care for the people of our beloved home.
According to the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, vacancy rates in the state have increased from 10% in 2019 to 17% in 2022, leaving nearly 4,000 unfilled positions in hospitals and clinics. Nursing is among the fields grappling with the highest vacancy levels, with specialized roles such as home health, wound care, diabetes care and licensed practical nursing experiencing vacancy rates exceeding 30%.
Additionally, social work and certain therapy, technology and patient care specialties are experiencing vacancy rates of 20% or more. The situation is particularly dire on neighbor islands such as Maui and Lanai, where vacancy rates exceed 36% and 48%, respectively.
In light of these statistics, our class conducted a survey of more than 400 students statewide from 8th to 12th grade to gather insight into their perspectives on careers in health care. We found that 48% of students are interested in the health care field, while 51% are not. Given that the health care sector currently accounts for 12% of jobs in Hawaii, the fact that nearly half of students express interest in pursuing a career in the field is promising. So why does the shortage persist?
There are many factors contributing to Hawaii’s health care worker shortage. However, one reason behind the shortage is a prevalent misconception among young people regarding the nature of health care careers and a limited awareness of the array of opportunities within the field. Our survey revealed that many students perceive the health care field to be highly stressful and demanding, require extensive and costly schooling, and many mistakenly equate the medical field solely with becoming a doctor or roles directly involving surgery.
While these perceptions may be accurate for certain medical positions, it is important to recognize the wide range of opportunities available in the medical field that do not necessarily involve tasks like surgery, dealing with blood, or long hours on the job. The narrow perspective many young people hold about the health care field can discourage them from pursuing careers in the sector and ultimately exacerbate the shortage of workers.
In reality, the medical field offers many opportunities that cater to a variety of interests, talents and preferences. For example, those interested in computer science can contribute to the health care field by developing programs to protect patients’ medical records and more. According to the latest available data, approximately 19% of coding specialist positions remain unfilled, indicating a demand for skilled professionals in this area. There are many roles that do not necessarily involve direct patient care but are crucial nonetheless, such as pharmacy, occupational therapy and various technician roles.
By exposing more students to the diverse career paths available in the health care field, we can address the workforce shortage and positively impact our community. Decreasing vacancy rates may help reduce the amount of time local patients have to wait for the care they need and even increase the life expectancies of our community. If we make no change or attempt to influence younger generations, these rates will only continue to grow.
By fostering interest in health care careers among the younger generation, we can help instill hope for a brighter future for Hawaii’s health care system.
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Fransiska Darry, Alaysia Dimaya-Gabriel and Taviana-Jamelia Samuela are seniors at Waipahu High School.
“Raise Your Hand,” a monthly column featuring Hawaii’s youth and their perspectives, appears in the Insight section on the first Sunday of each month. It is facilitated by the Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders.
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