While the rest of the country is going through an employment slump, the need for nurses continues to grow dramatically. By the year 2020, the U.S. Census and the Department of Labor projects there should be 1.8 million nurses in the country, but the need should top 2.8 million. That’s a need for 1 million more skilled health professionals.
In fact, the shortage of degreed nurses is rapidly becoming a critical situation. The Department of Labor projects that the U.S. alone will need 1 million more than there will be available. This is probably why it’s become one of the fastest growing areas of study at online colleges.
The reason for this is, according to the U.S. Census, the country’s population should increase by as much as 18% by the year 2020. To top it, the average age of a median American is getting older and older, and the elderly will need more than average remedial attention. The end result is while there should be 1.8 million nurses in the country; the need should top 2.8 million. If you are interested and need more information on scholarships online, look on the internet.
To counter this, the U.S. government is offering a lot more than just standard Pell grants and similar financial aid. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois introduced the Nurse Training and Retention Act of 2007 on the floor of the Senate. It was a bill to fund comprehensive programs to ensure an adequate supply of nurses. It was referred to committee for study.
In April 2008, in the 110th Congress, H.R. 5924: Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act was introduced as a bill to the House of Representatives by Robert Wexler of Florida. It would amend the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act of 2000 to lift the numerical limitations for employment based immigrants (and accompanying family members) for nurses and physical therapists until September 30, 2011, subject to a cap. The bill was referred to committees for study in Congress.
If that isn’t enough, private corporations such as Johnson & Johnson have stepped in and are now offering their own financial aid packages. Many private and state-run hospitals also offer assistance for educational advancement if a lower ranked nurse will stay with the institution and go to an online college. To find out more about these opportunities, it’s best to talk to the financial aid officer of the school(s) of your choice.
What’s more important these days is the chance for advancement within the field is growing exponentially. Upon licensing or registering, a nurse can look into such areas as medical billing, set up a practice as a nurse practitioner …there’s even such exotic possibilities like a need for nurses on cruise lines. For more information on nursing degree, check the web.
Salaries are also growing. As of 2008, the median salary of a nurse is $62,500. A nurse with two years experience who has graduated from a nursing university makes a minimum of $33,000 while more experienced nurses can go over $100,000 a year. There is also an abundance of financial aid for careers in the medical field.
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