| By some experts' estimates, there will be a | | | | |
| shortage of nearly 350,000 nurses (RNs) by | | | | And finally, the health care system's desire |
| the year 2020. And while this is | | | | to cut costs has led to increased hiring of |
| significantly lower than earlier estimates, | | | | LPNs and MAs. While these medical |
| this is still not good news. The nursing | | | | professionals are helping to ease the |
| shortage in the United States is coming right | | | | workload, there is still a driving demand for |
| at the time when baby boomers are aging and | | | | qualified RNs. |
| the extension of the national average life | | | | |
| span. Who is going to care for these people | | | | What is this doing to our Healthcare System? |
| when they become older or have health | | | | |
| problems? That's the biggest concern for | | | | To say that the lack of nurses isn't |
| health care professionals today. | | | | significantly affecting the health care |
| | | | system is untrue. Since there are fewer |
| Why are there so few nurses? | | | | nurses, there are a number of effects being |
| | | | felt by patients, doctors, hospitals, and |
| The first question that most people have when | | | | insurance companies. |
| it comes to the nursing shortage is - why are | | | | |
| there so few nurses? It doesn't seem to be an | | | | - Less one on one patient care |
| unpopular profession, so why aren't more men | | | | |
| and women choosing nursing for their career | | | | - More burnt out nurses |
| path? There are a number of possible answers. | | | | |
| | | | - Less attention to patient needs |
| - Lack of funds for education costs | | | | |
| | | | - Problems with medication dispensing |
| - Scheduling difficulties | | | | |
| | | | - More medical errors |
| - Overworking of current nurses drives them | | | | |
| out of the system | | | | Patients are beginning to notice that they |
| | | | aren't able to have that one on one care that |
| - Aging of nurses leads to retirement | | | | helps them feel more comfortable when they |
| | | | are ill. Nurses have a number of patients to |
| - Longer life spans of patients, leading to | | | | take care of and are often unable to stay |
| more patients | | | | with one patient for a long period of time. |
| | | | |
| - Health care systems' reliance on LPNs, MAs, | | | | What is being done about the problem? |
| and home health care aides | | | | |
| | | | Since the problem is hard to avoid, the next |
| Educational costs for college are | | | | obvious question is - what is being done to |
| skyrocketing for all majors and professions, | | | | help increase the number of nurses? There are |
| making it difficult for anyone to obtain a | | | | several different tactics hat are being |
| college education. Many people who consider | | | | implemented: |
| the nursing field can not afford the classes | | | | |
| they need to take and they do not want to | | | | - More scholarships for nursing students |
| take out student loans to cover the costs. | | | | |
| | | | - Better scheduling for nursing classes |
| Nursing classes are sometimes scheduled at | | | | |
| odd hours of the day. It makes it difficult | | | | - Lower cost nursing degrees |
| for those with job and family | | | | |
| responsibilities to make their classes. | | | | - Hiring bonuses for nurses |
| | | | |
| Some current nurses are quitting their jobs | | | | - Advanced accelerated nursing degree |
| to take on a new career. The lack of nurses | | | | programs |
| means more responsibility for current nurses, | | | | |
| which can lead them to feeling burnout and | | | | - Higher salaries and benefits for new nurses |
| frustrated. | | | | |
| | | | Though the nursing shortage is much smaller |
| Of course, many current nurses are nearing | | | | than it used to be due to these efforts to |
| retirement, which is further creating a | | | | keep bringing in new nursing students, there |
| shortage in the nursing field. | | | | is still much more to be done. |
| | | | |
| The longer life spans of patients are leading | | | | About Author : |
| to more patients than ever, which is also | | | | |
| contributing to the shortage of nurses. This | | | | Grant Eckert is a writer for Tafford |
| is making it very difficult for nurses to | | | | Uniforms. |
| keep up with their workload. | | | | |