New Supply and Demand Data Reveal Pathways to Address Health Care Workforce Shortages in North Carolina

In November 2024 the NC Health Talent Alliance released new analysis of supply and demand data for key health care jobs in North Carolina. The data, which quantifies the depth and breadth of our talent challenges, is the cornerstone of the NC Health Talent Alliance’s efforts to develop a demand-driven workforce system tailored to North Carolina health care employers’ unique needs. The NC Chamber Foundation and the NC Center on the Workforce for Health formally launched the landmark NC Health Talent Alliance public-private partnership in 2023 to address the state’s critical health care workforce shortages.  

Regional Healthcare Workforce Profile – Northwest AHEC

In February 2024, the North Carolina Health Talent Alliance, a project of the NC Center on the Workforce for Health, distributed an annual workforce demand survey to NC healthcare employers. The survey focused primarily on nursing positions. The goal of the survey was to understand current workforce information (primarily filled and open positions), former workforce information (number of hires, exits, and total employment), and future workforce information by profession, by geography.

211 unique organizations provided 433 responses across the state. Responses from Northwest AHEC are below.

• Read the Full HTA Data News Release from 11-13-2024
• View the Full Regional Healthcare Workforce Profile – Northwest AHEC
• View the HTA Summary Executive Summary for Northwest AHEC

Learn more about this program here - North Carolina Health Talent Alliance – Northwest AHEC

To get engaged and learn more, please contact Megan Mills Anderson, Regional Talent Pipeline Manager Northwest Area Health Education Center at mwmills@wakehealth.edu. 

HTA Employer Survey Data Summary – NW AHEC Region

Information about Survey Responses

• Response Count: 33 unique organizations provided 66 responses. A response represents an organization’s workforce by county, which is why there are more responses than unique organizations. 
  
  
• Position Count: 16,157 total nursing positions (filled+open) are represented in the survey data responses.
  9,151 RN positions
  1,240 LPN positions
  4,319 CNA positions
  1,447 MA positions
  
  
• Facility Count: 120 facilities (estimated) represented in the survey responses.
  
  
• Facility Types: The survey responses represent different facility types, categorized below. When asked, “what types of facilities does your organization operate?”, the responses answered as follows with a few exceptions. For those entities that represent large systems operating more than three different facility types, this summary placed them in a “multiple facility types” category.
  
  
• Responses by County: The responses represent all counties in the Northwest AHEC region. More densely populated counties have a higher response count.

The NC Health Talent Alliance was launched in 2023 by the NC Center on the Workforce for Health and NC Chamber Foundation to drive a regionally-relevant partnership with NC AHEC regions. The regional data reports are being used by employer-led collaboratives leveraging the Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework championed by the NC Chamber Foundation. 

 “We are turning data into action,” said Andy MacCracken, director of the NC Center on the Workforce for Health. “This unprecedented data collection effort helps us identify specific interventions needed regionally to measurably strengthen our health workforce.” 

Key Statewide Findings: 

• Statewide, about 1 in 4 LPN positions, 1 in 6 RN and CNA positions, 1 in 7 MA positions are open. 
• In 2023, the turnover rates were approximately 50% for RNs, LPNs, and MAs, and 80% for CNAs. This means half of the RN, LPN, and MA workforce of survey respondents came and went within a given year.
• Educational infrastructure in the state is robust but some institutions are operating well below allowed capacity, indicating that additional resources and support could increase nurse output. Qualitative responses from institutions indicate that increased resources to support teaching staff, classroom space, technology, and clinical training positions would expand capacity.
• Analysis of secondary labor market data finds that at current rates, North Carolina has an annual deficit of 2,850 RNs and 730 LPNs. This means the state needs to either produce more people with necessary credentials and/or reduce demand by those amounts to avoid worsening shortages. These deficits vary among regions. 

Groups of employers and educators in five NC AHEC regions are already using the NC Health Talent Alliance data to identify solutions to shared workforce pain points. The program is doubling in size, with ten collaboratives identifying and advancing solutions to meet regional needs across North Carolina. By the end of 2024, North Carolina is expected to have the largest TPM movement in the country.

About the NC Health Talent Alliance

The NC Chamber Foundation and the NC Center on the Workforce for Health formally launched the landmark NC Health Talent Alliance public-private partnership in 2023 to aggressively address the state’s critical health care workforce shortages, and it will conduct an annual survey of health employers and educational organizations. By leveraging the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s proven Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework, the Health Talent Alliance works to fill critical health sector roles by building robust talent pipelines aligned with industry demand. NC AHEC regions are implementation partners, hiring regional staff to coordinate action with regional employers, educators, and workforce entities. For more information, visit workforceforhealth.org/hta.

About the NC Chamber Foundation

The NC Chamber Foundation is creating a strong, sustainable future for business and communities across North Carolina. Through nonpartisan research and thoughtful collaboration, the NC Chamber Foundation serves as a convener and works to disseminate information related to complex challenges, craft sound policy recommendations, track progress, and drive a future-focused vision to expand economic growth and prosperity for all North Carolinians. The work of the NC Chamber Foundation is leveraged by the NC Chamber and aligned business organizations to advocate for change that positions North Carolina as a top-10 state to live, work, and do business. For more information, visit ncchamber.com/foundation. 

About the NC Center on the Workforce for Health

The NC Center on the Workforce for Health launched in 2022 to provide a forum for health employers, workers, educators, policymakers, and other key stakeholders across the state to address critical workforce challenges, share best practices, and identify solutions. This statewide forum builds on a partnership between NC AHEC, NC Institute of Medicine, and the Sheps Center Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy, to provide coordinated, persistent action and track progress with measurable outcomes. Learn more at workforceforhealth.org.