Nebraska hospitals still working hard despite cases dropping

Now is a great time to show your support as Healthcare Workers Appreciation Week begins today.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Local hospitals continue to struggle with staffing shortages as case numbers drop across the state.

Health care workers have become burnt out while working through the pandemic.  There is new hope as hospital officials say the dropping number of COVID-19 cases is helping to relieve some stress from their staff.

“We, too, are concerned about the short- and long-term impacts of what our staff have been through the last several months and really the last two years. You know, physically, mentally, psychologically and emotionally and trying to help them in a variety of ways,” said Brett Richmond, president and CEO of Methodist Fremont Health.

Health care workers have been our heroes the past couple of years, but now many hospitals are saying their workers aren’t being treated very well by patients.

“Two years ago, health care were heroes. They listened to what we said. Fast forward to now, and our staff are not only burnt out like Brett and Kevin described, but they are now not being treated very nice all the time,” said Megan Connelly, vice president of community pediatrics and child health at Children’s Physicians.

Now is a great time to show your support, as Healthcare Workers Appreciation Week began Monday.  Connelly said the best way to show support is by simply thanking health care workers on social media.