What I have yet to seen mentioned in “ICU/hospitals are overwhelmed as they reach full capacity.” articles is any mention how “certificate of need” regulations limit the number of facilities, beds, and equipment. Making such a scenario extremely likely in a pandemic or even an especially busy flu season.
You still have to staff them even if CON rules were relaxed. Nursing schools are down in admissions. Duarte in the Philipines is blocking graduated nurses from going abroad so that resource is out. India too may also start cutting back.
Also hospitals in the US are experiencing churn as travel nurse agencies are poaching seasoned nurses from established positions, offering 8000 or more to work per week at other hospitals experiencing shortages. So the whole system is under strain from lack of supply to high demand. Some are going to nurse case management jobs for insurance agencies to get away from covid.
We’ve lost some very good nurses from our unit. I’ve been told (in jest...I think) that they’ll never let me retire.