Healthcare workers cannot attract and retain talent due to inadequate compensation and chronic understaffing

Hospital workers at major healthcare systems like HCA are striking because wages haven't kept pace with cost of living and staffing levels are dangerously low, forcing exhausted employees to work overtime constantly. Healthcare facilities lose experienced staff to burnout and turnover, creating a vicious cycle where remaining workers are stretched thinner, leading to more departures. Current HR and compensation strategies fail to address the root cause: healthcare workers' compensation lags other industries despite high physical and emotional demands.