The phrase “nursing shortage” has been on the tongues of industry insiders for a very long time now. It’s something that seems daunting and scary, because too few nurses means limited healthcare and potential dangers for the whole of our society. But before panic or despair sets in, it’s worthwhile to take a closer look at the potential nursing shortage and what it means.
First it’s time for a few powerful statistics. The first is from the BLS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and it shows that the nursing shortage at the end of the decade will be nearly in the seven figures. They project 800,000 unfilled nursing positions. A corresponding statistic shows a need for 600,000 new RNs to join the industry by 2018. Both figures are powerful and shed some light on the situation.
So the first answer has to be that yes, the nursing shortage is real and it’s something that needs to be taken seriously. But where did it come from? For one thing, nurses outnumber physicians in hospitals at about a 41 ratio, which shows how much of the day-to-day tasks they take on, perform and manage. Still, almost 40% of nurses now work outside of hospitals, showing their needs elsewhere. It’s a ton of demand on the profession and it has spread nurses out a bit too thin.
The average age of the qualified nurses in the field can also help to explain the looming nursing shortage. The average age is 47 years old, up from 40 years old a few decades ago. This means that more nurses are getting ready to retire, which opens up many jobs and positions, and there is not enough younger people embarking on the career at an entry level.
Don’t forget that the entire population of the country is aging, with the baby boomers becoming senior citizens. This places an increased demand on the healthcare industry as they all will require increased care. Combined with all of the above, there are clearly a lot of issues creating this potential nursing shortage.
The best way to think about the nursing shortage though is to see it as an opportunity for students that are looking to begin their own careers. Literally hundreds of thousands of jobs will be opening up or becoming creating, and salaries are also on the rise. This is a quickly growing industry, and it’s one that will always be needed, and never be outdone by any economic conditions or anything else.
An accelerated BSN program is the real ticket for success too, since 50% of RNs today have at least a BSN, which is up from just 25% a few decades prior. That means a premium is being placed on educated nurses, and an accelerated BSN is the best and the quickest way to move ahead with your career.
The nursing shortage is only in the very beginning of its stages, but looking at the stats, it can get very large in a very short amount of time. Students can join the ranks of the in demand, qualified nurses, by pursuing an accelerated BSN and finishing in 12 months or less. There will be hundreds of thousands of jobs, rewarding, exciting careers and much more waiting for you at the finish line.
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