2026 Frontiers in Epidemiology Pandemic Preparedness & Response · Modeling & Simulation

Modeling the Disruptive Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nurses' Supply and Wages

Raffaele Vardavas; Pedro Nascimento de Lima; Lawrence Baker; Christina Crowley; Katherine Grace Carman; Mahshid Abir

— Abstract

This paper introduces an economic model to describe hospital nurses' supply and wage dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model illustrates how the pandemic disrupted nurse demand, supply, and wages and represents substitution dynamics between hospital and travel nurses. Using exogenous epidemiological data as model inputs, the authors evaluate how COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have affected nurse labor markets.

— Impact Stats

— Research Streams

Pandemic Preparedness & Response Modeling & Simulation

— Topics

COVID-19 economic modeling labor markets pandemic response

— Cite

@article{vardavasModelingDisruptiveImpact2024,
	title = {Modeling the {Disruptive} {Impact} of the {COVID}-19 {Pandemic} on {Nurses}' {Supply} and {Wages}},
	url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/epidemiology/articles/10.3389/fepid.2026.1631582/full},
	doi = {10.3389/fepid.2026.1631582},

	language = {English},
	urldate = {2026-06-12},
	journal = {Frontiers in Epidemiology},
	author = {Vardavas, Raffaele and Pedro {Nascimento de Lima} and Baker, Lawrence and Crowley, Christina and Carman, Katherine Grace and Abir, Mahshid},
	year = {2026},
	note = {Publisher: Frontiers},
	keywords = {COVID-19, labor markets, nurses, pandemic response, wages}
}