Health care spending in our state rose faster than household income, according to the One Utah Health Collaborative. That spike is not just a budgeting issue; it’s also a workforce issue. Behind those dollars lies a growing shortage of nurses, which quietly drives up costs for everyone. When hospitals and health care facilities are unable to staff adequately, they rely on expensive contract labor, overtime and travel nurses. Those expenses don’t stay on the balance sheet; they show up in our medical bills and insurance premiums.
The health care workforce shortage is now one of Utah’s biggest cost multipliers. State data shows thousands of open registered nurse positions across urban and rural communities, and Utah consistently ranks near the bottom for nurse-to-population ratios, currently averaging just over seven nurses per 1,000 residents. By contrast, South Dakota averages 15.68 nurses to 1,000 residents. Each of those unfilled roles here in Utah means higher costs and slower care. It also means more burnout among those who remain, creating a cycle that pushes even more nurses out of bedside care.
That’s why education access matters as much as policy reform. When fewer Utahns can afford to enter the nursing profession, shortages deepen and costs climb. Expanding opportunity and access to the nursing profession, modernizing clinical training and lowering the financial barriers to entry are among the smartest investments we can make.
At Nightingale College, we recently reduced tuition for Utah learners pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a deliberate
move to strengthen the state’s nursing workforce while widening access for those who feel called to the profession. Each additional nurse that graduates helps stabilize and strengthen our state’s nursing workforce.
Improving health care affordability won’t come from a single fix. It will come from aligning incentives, improving access and ensuring the greatest value for each dollar spent. Strengthening the nursing workforce is an important component of lowering costs and improving health outcomes for all of us. Utah has a history of leading through innovation, and we can lead again by treating the nursing workforce as an essential part of our health care infrastructure. Affordable care depends on affordable education, and affordability in either arena can’t exist without the other.