The nursing shortage. Past, present, and future.
According to healthcare experts, the present nursing shortage is going to extend to 2020 with an estimated 400,000 RN vacancies. A number of factors are contributing to the shortage: an increase in the age of registered nurses, decreased school enrollment, increased career opportunities for women, changes in the healthcare delivery system, nurse "burn-out," and the public's misunderstanding of what nurses do. Additionally, a number of social and economic trends are going to affect the healthcare delivery system in the future, such as: aging of the population, increased technology, the increase of the health/wellness movement, changes in employee's work ethic, influence of Generation X and dot.com workers, and scarcity of entry-level and low-wage workers. If nursing is going to be a major player in the healthcare delivery system in 2020, nurses must take an active role in developing and implementing a strategic plan. We need to look beyond solutions used in the past, such as increasing compensation and modifying school curriculums.
Murray
Marilyn Kettering
MK
SMBF LLC Healthcare Consulting, Overland Park, Kansas, USA. smbfllc@hotmail.com
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D003479:Curriculum; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005544:Forecasting; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000639:trends*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D012938:Social Perception; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors