Critical care nurses say the fact that DHBs are trying to find more ICU staff shows hospitals are preparing for the virus to become endemic.
Auckland's Waitematā district health board is looking for 133 extra staff - including 21 intensive care nurses - to help it cope with Covid-19 in 2022.
The new roles give an idea of the scale of extra staffing likely needed in hospitals around the country when the virus is in the community next year.
College of Critical Care Nurses chair Tania Mitchell, said that was a lot of ICU nurses to try to recruit when there was already a nationwide shortage, which will likely have knock on effects through the health services.
She spoke to Susie Ferguson.
Waitematā DHB declined to be interviewed on this story. In a statement it says the DHB continues to work closely with the other metro Auckalnd DHBs to manage city-wide demand for Covid-related care.
In its 2022 planning, it identified a need to recruit to a further 107 positions.
Some of these extra staff will help create a new service for those with long-term effects from Covid-19 requiring ongoing follow-up.
