US Hospitals Worry as Vaccine Requirements Arrive
2021-09-29
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1Hospitals and nursing homes around the United States are worried about possible shortages of workers as deadlines arrive for health care employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
2The orders take effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
3Many in the medical industry are concerned that some employees will refuse vaccination and have to be dismissed from their jobs.
4"How this is going to play out, we don't know," said California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea.
5She added that the organization fully supports the state's vaccination requirement.
6Faced with either getting the COVID-19 vaccine or losing their jobs, thousands of health care workers in New York received at least one shot by Monday's deadline.
7New York Governor Kathy Hochul released numbers late Monday showing vaccination rates rising among the state's health care workers.
8The governor said early data showed 92 percent of hospital and nursing home workers received at least one shot of vaccine.
9About 84 percent of over 450,000 hospital workers in New York were fully vaccinated as of last Wednesday, state data showed.
10Nursing home data through Sunday showed about 89 percent of nursing home workers were fully vaccinated.
11Hochul also signed an order that expands the powers of her office to deal with health worker shortages.
12The measure permits medical professionals from outside New York to work in the state.
13It also eases restrictions on retirees returning to the workforce and permits the use of telemedicine in nursing homes.
14Some New York hospitals prepared for the possible shortage with plans to limit non-critical services and nursing home admissions.
15In California, health care workers have until Thursday to get fully vaccinated.
16Some hospitals are looking at removing or suspending those who refuse to meet the requirements.
17Emerson-Shea of the California Hospital Association said that many healthcare workers have rejected job offers in the state because of its vaccine requirement.
18In Rhode Island, the vaccine requirement takes effect Friday.
19The state says hospitals may permit unvaccinated employees to work 30 days past the deadline if necessary for patient safety.
20The requirement is facing legal action because it does not provide religious exception.
21In states that do not have vaccine requirements, some hospitals are setting their own.
22A North Carolina-based hospital system said this week it had dismissed 175 of its more than 35,000 employees because they refused vaccination.
23In Missouri, the Mercy hospital system is requiring vaccinations among health care workers by Thursday.
24A spokesman said violators will be placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension.
25Around the country, the federal government also requires about 17 million workers at health centers that receive federal money to be fully vaccinated.
26That has worried some hospital officials in rural communities where vaccination rates tend to be lower.
27Troy Bruntz is president of the Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska.
28He said 25 of the hospital's 330 employees said they would resign if they were required to be vaccinated.
29Another 100 unvaccinated employees - a group that includes nurses as well as cleaning and support workers - have not made a decision on the requirement.
30"It doesn't make us feel too confident that this isn't going to turn into something short of a nightmare for American health care," he said.
31Ginger Robertson works in mental health at a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota.
32She has requested exception from the hospital's vaccination requirement based on her religious beliefs.
33She said she will look for other work if she does not get the exception.
34"Honestly, I really love my job. I am good at it. I enjoy my patients. I enjoy where I am at," she told the Associated Press.
35"So," she continued, "this is a really hard place, to have to choose between two things I don't want to do. I don't want to leave, and I don't want to get the vaccine."
36She said other nurses are also considering leaving.
37"We feel demoralized," Robertson said, adding "as though we aren't intelligent enough to make these choices for ourselves."
38I'm Caty Weaver.
1Hospitals and nursing homes around the United States are worried about possible shortages of workers as deadlines arrive for health care employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 2The orders take effect this week in states like New York, California, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Many in the medical industry are concerned that some employees will refuse vaccination and have to be dismissed from their jobs. 3"How this is going to play out, we don't know," said California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea. She added that the organization fully supports the state's vaccination requirement. 4New York sees an increase in vaccination 5Faced with either getting the COVID-19 vaccine or losing their jobs, thousands of health care workers in New York received at least one shot by Monday's deadline. 6New York Governor Kathy Hochul released numbers late Monday showing vaccination rates rising among the state's health care workers. The governor said early data showed 92 percent of hospital and nursing home workers received at least one shot of vaccine. 7About 84 percent of over 450,000 hospital workers in New York were fully vaccinated as of last Wednesday, state data showed. Nursing home data through Sunday showed about 89 percent of nursing home workers were fully vaccinated. 8Hochul also signed an order that expands the powers of her office to deal with health worker shortages. The measure permits medical professionals from outside New York to work in the state. It also eases restrictions on retirees returning to the workforce and permits the use of telemedicine in nursing homes. 9Some New York hospitals prepared for the possible shortage with plans to limit non-critical services and nursing home admissions. 10Deadlines coming up in other states 11In California, health care workers have until Thursday to get fully vaccinated. Some hospitals are looking at removing or suspending those who refuse to meet the requirements. Emerson-Shea of the California Hospital Association said that many healthcare workers have rejected job offers in the state because of its vaccine requirement. 12In Rhode Island, the vaccine requirement takes effect Friday. The state says hospitals may permit unvaccinated employees to work 30 days past the deadline if necessary for patient safety. The requirement is facing legal action because it does not provide religious exception. 13In states that do not have vaccine requirements, some hospitals are setting their own. 14A North Carolina-based hospital system said this week it had dismissed 175 of its more than 35,000 employees because they refused vaccination. 15In Missouri, the Mercy hospital system is requiring vaccinations among health care workers by Thursday. A spokesman said violators will be placed on a 30-day unpaid suspension. 16Rural hospitals worry 17Around the country, the federal government also requires about 17 million workers at health centers that receive federal money to be fully vaccinated. That has worried some hospital officials in rural communities where vaccination rates tend to be lower. 18Troy Bruntz is president of the Community Hospital in McCook, Nebraska. He said 25 of the hospital's 330 employees said they would resign if they were required to be vaccinated. Another 100 unvaccinated employees - a group that includes nurses as well as cleaning and support workers - have not made a decision on the requirement. 19"It doesn't make us feel too confident that this isn't going to turn into something short of a nightmare for American health care," he said. 20Worker plans to leave 21Ginger Robertson works in mental health at a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota. She has requested exception from the hospital's vaccination requirement based on her religious beliefs. She said she will look for other work if she does not get the exception. 22"Honestly, I really love my job. I am good at it. I enjoy my patients. I enjoy where I am at," she told the Associated Press. "So," she continued, "this is a really hard place, to have to choose between two things I don't want to do. I don't want to leave, and I don't want to get the vaccine." 23She said other nurses are also considering leaving. "We feel demoralized," Robertson said, adding "as though we aren't intelligent enough to make these choices for ourselves." 24I'm Caty Weaver. 25The Associated Press reported this story. Hai Do adapted the report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. 26__________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28nursing home - n. a place where old people or those who cannot take care of themselves can live and receive care 29deadline - n. a date or time when something must be finished 30minimize - v. to make something less important 31challenge - n. a difficult task or problem 32nightmare - n. a very bad situation 33demoralized - adj. losing hope