Nursing Shortage

There is currently a nursing shortage that is expected to only get bigger as baby boomers age and their need for health care grows. Nursing colleges and universities are struggling to expand enrollment levels to meet the rising demand for nursing care which is only contributing more to the problem. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is concerned about the shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) and is working with schools, policy makers, kindred organizations, and the media to bring attention to this health care crisis. AACN is working to enact legislation, identify strategies, and form collaborations to address the nursing shortage.

Below are some of the key indicators of the nursing shortage. All of this information was sourced from American Association of Colleges of Nursing

• The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. could reach as high as 500,000 by 2025 according to a report released by Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues in March 2008. The report, titled The Future of the Nursing Workforce in the United States: Data, Trends and Implications, found that the demand for RNs is expected to grow by 2% to 3% each year.
• In a statement released in March 2008, The Council on Physician and Nurse Supply, an independent group of health care leaders based at the University of Pennsylvania, has determined that 30,000 additional nurses should be graduated annually to meet the nation's healthcare needs, an expansion of 30% over the current number of annual nurse graduates.
• According to the latest projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published in the November 2007 Monthly Labor Review, more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2016.  Government analysts project that more than 587,000 new nursing positions will be created through 2016 (a 23.5% increase), making nursing the nation’s top profession in terms of projected job growth. www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2007/11/art5full.pdf
• According to a report released by the American Hospital Association in July 2007, U.S. hospitals need approximately 116,000 RNs to fill vacant positions nationwide. This translates into a national RN vacancy rate of 8.1%. The report, titled The 2007 State of America's Hospitals - Taking the Pulse, also found that 44% of hospital CEOs had more difficulty recruiting RNs in 2006 than in 2005.

The trend of demand on qualified nurses is not one that is going way, so if you are thinking about getting a nursing degree this is a great time to do so. You'll be amazed by how affordable it is and how easy it is to get started. There are plenty of options for financial assistance too, so if you have ever even thought about getting a nursing degree, now is the best time to take the next step and get some information!