GREENSBORO, N.C. — The American Hospital Association says federal data shows that we are expecting to lose 500,000 nurses by the end of this year, bringing the overall shortage of nurses to 1.1 million. The shortages are partially due to a lack of potential educators, high turnover and inequitable workforce distribution.

A North Carolina woman impacted by the shortage got into the nursing industry to help other families. 

Glynis Toler-Manns is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and the founder of Compassion in Care nurse staffing agency.

“[I] always knew that I wanted to help take care of people, but I didn’t know how. Initially, I remember younger, I wanted to cure cancer. That was what I would talk about with my mom. But life happens and I figured nursing would be another way for me to make a difference,” Toler-Manns said.

Toler-Manns has been a nurse for more than 20 years. For most of her career, she worked as an agency nurse. She opened her business in 2020 online, and now this past November, three years later, she expanded and opened her brick-and-mortar.

“Ever since COVID, you know, a lot of work is everything, you know, is either online or via the telephone. And I would love to meet some of our nursing staff face-to-face,” Toler-Manns said.

She got the idea to open this health care agency after the tragic passing of her mother in 2013, who was found unresponsive inside her rehab facility where she was sent after a fall at home.

“So, when I talked to the nurse about it, she apologized and she said, ‘yes, your mom was found unresponsive. Because we were understaffed, we were short staffed.’ And that set me on a journey to make sure that no other family member has to ever hear that again. Whether it was by me working as a nurse or on a different level to supply nurses to facilities so that that does not happen again,” Toler-Manns said.

Toler-Manns says this is a reality that happens too often to many others.

“And unfortunately, it does happen with a lot of patients where they, you know, due to short staffing or nurse burnout, patients don’t get the care that they need and deserve,” Toler-Manns said.

She says burnout is just one of many reasons as to why there’s a shortage. She feels to fix the problem, it has to come from a higher place.

“So I don’t think it’s just a nurse issue or a health care issue, health care organization issue. I think it goes bigger than that. I think it has to start at the top. And what the government will and will not allow for health care organizations to do when it comes to patient safety and safe nurse practices,” Toler-Manns said.

Since opening in 2020, Compassion in Care has helped more than 20 facilities with staffing of more than 300 nurses and certified nursing assistants.