Nurses Sound Alarm as 'Uber for Nursing' Apps Push to Deregulate Healthcare

A new report warns that "Uber for nursing" gig platforms are lobbying to relax healthcare staffing rules, potentially reducing nurses' pay, protections, and shift control. Apps such as Clipboard Health, ShiftKey, CareRev, and IntelyCare are reshaping shift filling, utilizing AI-driven pricing and performance surveillance. Some platforms run auction systems, causing competitive bidding for shifts, while others use algorithms to set wages based on market demand and nurse performance.

These platforms classify nurses as independent contractors, excluding them from minimum wage protections, overtime, workers' compensation, and unemployment insurance. At least 17 states have introduced bills to exempt gig nursing apps from traditional healthcare staffing laws, with eight states advancing exemption bills. Lobbying efforts for these platforms have raised over $1.1 million, often in collaboration with tech giants like Amazon and Uber through the Coalition for Workforce Innovation. Critics argue that this model can suppress wages and strip nurses of essential benefits.