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A growing shortage of registered nurses (RNs) is being recorded in all parts of the country in
settings inside hospitals and beyond. The underlying concern is that an insufficient supply of
nurses will limit the public's access to health care. Nursing school leaders, federal and state
legislators, health-care administrators, and consumer advocacy groups are working together to
find solutions to the nursing shortage to ensure that health-care delivery is not compromised
over the next two decades.
Nursing Shortage at a Glance
Today's nursing shortage is very real and very different from any experienced in the past. As
a huge segment of the population, the baby boomers, enters their senior adult years, the demand
for health care is expected to grow in response. This need for care comes at a time when nursing
schools are struggling to maintain enrollment levels and a large percentage of the RN workforce
is close to retirement.
Signposts pointing to the emerging nursing shortage are everywhere:
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association
(2000), the U.S. will experience a 20 percent shortage in the number of nurses needed in our nation's
health-care system by the year 2020.
The American Hospital Association reports that 75 percent of all current hospital vacancies
are for registered nurses.
Projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics point to the need for more than one million new nurses by the year 2010.
According to the latest survey by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, enrollment in
entry-level baccalaureate programs in nursing increased by 3.7 percent nationwide since 2000,
ending a six-year period of decline. Despite this slight increase, enrollments in all programs
are down 17 percent, or 21,126 students, from 1995.
A report issued last year by the University of Illinois College of Nursing found that the ratio
of potential caregivers to the people most likely to need care, the elderly population, will
decrease by 40 percent between 2010 and 2030.
According to the latest sample survey conducted by the Federal Division of Nursing,
the average age of the working registered nurse was 43.3 in March 2000, up from 42.3 in 1996.
With the average age for nurse retirements set at 52, a wave of RNs exiting the workforce is
expected within the next ten years.
Simply stated, the need for nursing care and the demand for nurses is increasing; the number
of nurses to provide that care is not.
Opportunities Abound in Times of Shortage
How will the nursing shortage impact new recruits into the profession?
Actually, there has never been a better time to become a nurse. Salaries are
going up, and working conditions are improving in an effort to appeal to new students
and to retain working RNs in the profession. Nurses are gaining more independence on the job,
which enables them to use their education and expertise to their full capacity. Job security is
also extremely high given the fact that the projected supply of RNs will not come close to meeting
the demand.
The media spotlight on the nursing shortage has also helped to showcase the many roles
available within the profession. Though there is a great demand for nurses to provide direct care,
nurses are also needed as researchers, health-care administrators, policy analysts, and nurse
executives. The baccalaureate-prepared nurse enjoys the greatest chance for career advancement
as well as the opportunity to move into upper-level roles requiring a master's degree or doctorate.
One of the greatest areas of need is for nursing school faculty members. Nurse educators play a
central role in preparing new nurses and adapting curriculum in response to changing technology
and professional practices. The shortage of nurse faculty members is hindering the efforts of
nursing schools in many parts of the country to expand enrollments in response to the projected
shortage.
The nursing shortage has also focused federal attention on the need to remove economic
barriers to the profession. This translates into more resources for financial aid--grants,
loans, and scholarships--for those seeking a nursing education. Although aid is available to
all nursing students, special programs exist to recruit members of diverse, underrepresented
groups into nursing. Be sure to check with the financial aid officers at the schools
you wish to attend for the details on specific programs.
The nursing shortage has focused attention on the critical role nurses play in our
nation's health care system. Nursing is a challenging, dynamic profession that brings
many rewards and career advancement opportunities. With salaries climbing, working
conditions improving, and the demand for nursing services on the rise, it's an exciting
time to become a nurse.
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