Fact or Fiction: There is a Nursing Shortage

Posted by Tim Teague on 8/21/12 3:03 PM

Topics: Health Care Staffing

nursing shortageIn the July/August 2009 Health Affairs, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and coauthors found that despite the current easing of the nursing shortage due to the recession, the U.S. nursing shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 registered nurses by 2025.  A shortage of this magnitude would be twice as large as any nursing shortage experienced in this country since the mid-1960s. 

In the article titled The Recent Surge In Nurse Employment: Causes And Implications, the researchers point to a rapidly aging workforce as a primary contributor to the projected shortage. During 2009 and 2010, the expected linear growth demand for nurses was interrupted as unemployment soared. Many existing nurses in the field delayed retirement, and many that had retired or sought other part-time work re-entered the healthcare field.  Another factor that skews the demand curve is demographic behavior during times of economic stress. Elective surgeries are put off, and the growing number of unemployed also represents a growing number of uninsured.  These factors combined to temporarily slow demand, while artificially inflating supply. 

Regardless the long term outcome of health care reform, nurses are going to be in great demand for the next two decades! As an alternative employer with maximum flexibility, healthcare staffing firms will continue to provide great value to the nurse that wants a variety of work environments, and the client that will continue to need well trained, highly qualified healthcare providers.

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