New York governor activates 120 National Guard members to work in nursing homes amid labor shortage

December 2, 2021

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) activated 120 National Guard medics on Wednesday to work in understaffed nursing homes amid the labor shortage.

The selected medics are “military medical personnel whose civilian jobs do not involve work in the healthcare field,” Eric Durr, the New York National Guard’s Director of Public Affairs, told Insider. “The only difference between them and a civilian EMT is that our medics are trained to do it while somebody’s shooting at you,” he added. 

Nearly 75% of nursing homes reported an overall “worsening situation with their workforce” this year, according to a survey conducted by The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Read the full story from Business Insider here.