Nursing Shortage: Why There’s a Continued Demand for Nurses (2023)

FAQs

Nursing Shortage: Why There’s a Continued Demand for Nurses? ›

Have you wondered: Why are nurses in demand? The answer goes back to the looming nursing shortage. Some of the factors that have influenced the shortage are an aging patient population and workforce, the rise of chronic conditions and nursing instructor shortages.

Have you wondered: Why are nurses in demand? The answer goes back to the looming nursing shortage. Some of the factors that have influenced the shortage are an aging patient population and workforce, the rise of chronic conditions and nursing instructor shortages.

Staffing Ratios

Appropriate staffing levels will decrease errors, increase patient satisfaction, and improve nurse retention rates. Nursing shortages lead to errors, higher morbidity, and mortality rates.

One of the reasons for the growing demand is due to changing demographics; older nurses are retiring in large numbers, creating thousands of job openings. Another factor is the Affordable Care Act, which expands health insurance coverage to millions of job openings.

The Beginning of the Shortage

This is exactly what happened in the mid-1930s, when several technological, economic, and health care-related events combined to increase the demand for registered nurses and to lay the groundwork for a shortage.

The population is aging rapidly.

Doctors will rely on their nurses even more than they do now to help with patient care. Moreover, additional outpatient clinics and other medical facilities are being built to accommodate more patients, which will require more nurses.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Projections 2021-2031, the Registered Nursing (RN) workforce is expected to grow by 6% over the next decade. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 3.1 million in 2021 to 3.3 million in 2031, an increase of 195,400 nurses.

The single most important way to reverse that is to support and expand partnerships between universities and community health care settings to develop additional residencies for graduating medical students as well as clinical training opportunities for nurses, respiratory therapists, radiology technicians, and others.

California has the worst nursing shortage in the United States. It's predicted that by 2030, California will be in need of over 44,000 nurses. Other states with major hospital staff shortages include New Mexico, Vermont, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Arizona.

What are two causes for the expected increase in demand for RNs? ›

The aging population necessitates increasing the level of care patients require. A nursing faculty shortage capping pre-licensure admission capacity. Nursing burnout.

Four challenges face the nursing workforce of today and tomorrow: the aging of the baby boom generation, the shortage and uneven distribution of physicians, the accelerating rate of registered nurse retirements, and the uncertainty of health care reform.

Another recent report by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing found about 100,000 registered nurses left the profession since 2020. More than 600,000 intend to leave by 2027 due to stress, burnout and retirement.

Pay Disparities. Nurses are paid less than other professionals, contributing to the nursing shortage. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for a registered nurse in 2021 was $77,600.

Nurses work in a fast-paced environment, providing patient care, reassuring family members, and keeping up with evidence-based practices and procedures. That level of stress can leave many healthcare organizations with a high nurse turnover rate.

While both nurse practitioners and doctors can enjoy the benefit of great incomes, doctors make almost twice as much as nurse practitioners. In fact, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, doctors typically earn an average annual salary of about $200,000 or more.

According to one study, job-related stress related to nurses because they had to perform non-nursing activities consistently. These nurses deal with various patients, and they also struggle to feel in control of the patient outcomes. They don't get to see patients heal, so it can seem a bit deflating at times.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nursing job growth of 12 percent through 2028—much faster than the average occupation. That's around 200,000 new RN positions that will need to be filled every year through 2026.

Which state has the most nurses? ›

California contains the most professionally active registered nurses in the U.S. with 337,738 RNs, according to a ranking from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Nursing jobs outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for nursing employees may grow by as much as 6% between 2021 and 2031. This job growth is a little faster than the growth for all occupations in the United States, which is estimated to be 5% from 2021 to 2031.

One of the main causes is the aging population: both patients and health care workers. As the general population ages their need for medical care increases, but as aging doctors, nurses, and health care workers retire or leave the workforce, they are not being sufficiently replaced by new ones.

Higher acuity levels, increased patient volumes, and continued staffing challenges are key contributors — all of which prompt increased turnover, drive decisions to leave the profession, and pose care quality and safety risks.

Increased regulation and decreased insurance reimbursements are causing many physicians to reduce their work hours, which will increase the necessity for more physicians and more nurses in the years to come.

There are a number of reasons for the nursing shortage, extending from education to burnout to early retirement. With an increased demand for healthcare services, nurses need more support than ever to guarantee a better future in nursing.

Average Age Of Nurses

The average age of a registered nurse in the United States is 44, though this may change as the demand for nurses increases.

The authors state that new graduate nurses are not fully prepared for practice due to “gaps in nursing practice … attributed to ineffective communication, the complexity of the clinical environment, lack of knowledge about patient care, and lack of experience working in teams” (Dabrow-Woods & Stegman, 2020).

What do new nurses struggle with the most? ›

Performance anxiety, fear of making mistakes, lack of confidence in nursing skills, communicating with doctors, exhaustion from workload demands, and having the responsibility of your own patients can be a lot to handle in your first year.

Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 203,200 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Nursing is the nation's largest healthcare profession, with nearly 4.2 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. Of all licensed RNs, 84.1% are employed in nursing.

Being a nurse is a high stress occupation, so it is not shocking that many marriages among nurses don't last. Trying to juggle family and highly demanding nursing shifts leads to high rates of divorce. That's true even if the other spouse also works in the healthcare field.

Nursing school will have semesters that are easier than others. The good news is that the longer you are in nursing school, the easier it gets. The coursework may remain about the same, but it will get easier due to: The fact that you'll be used to it after a semester or two and you'll know what it takes to succeed.

Why is nursing school so hard? The top 6 challenges of earning a BSN include the rigorous curriculum, fast pace, need for multitasking, time commitment, personal sacrifices, and NCLEX preparation. However, despite these rigors, it's possible to rise up and master how to succeed in nursing school.

Critical care nurses tend to suffer the highest rates of burnout. Critical care specialties include the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU).

About 100,000 nurses left the workforce due to pandemic-related burnout and stress, survey finds. About 100,000 registered nurses in the US left the workplace due to the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the results of a survey published Thursday by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

There are many negative impacts to the nursing shortage. Adverse effects include increased patient mortality, more nurses leaving their positions early, limited patient care as many hospitals are already at capacity with patients and do not have the staff to care for them.

Which nursing specialty has the highest turnover? ›

Behavioral health nursing

Also known as psychiatric and mental health nursing, this specialty consistently tops the charts for high turnover.

The Beginning of the Shortage

This is exactly what happened in the mid-1930s, when several technological, economic, and health care-related events combined to increase the demand for registered nurses and to lay the groundwork for a shortage.

Top reasons nurses are in high demand: Better access to health care half a million nurses by the year 2030. Increased emphasis on preventive health care. More individuals suffering from chronic conditions.

Among the respondents who said they were dissatisfied with their careers, 25% said they would pursue a new nursing path, 21% said they would retire early, and 18% said they would leave the nursing profession altogether.

Nurses are trained to treat the whole patient, not just the immediate injury or illness. They look beyond the symptoms to establish the root of the problem so that they can ensure a patient receives adequate treatment and the resources they need to manage their care outside the hospital.

Firstly, nursing is a caring profession which often requires compassion and empathy, both of which are qualities that many people find attractive in others. Additionally, nurses typically have good hygiene habits and dress professionally, both of which can contribute to an overall positive impression.

Pharmacology, or the study of medication, can seem scary because of the sheer scope of the course. "It becomes one of the hardest classes for nursing students due to the depth and amount of knowledge needed," says Megan Lynch, RN and instructor at Pima Community College.

For those who are interested in more behind-the-scenes work, or who want to explore their options in healthcare, health science is a great alternative major to nursing. A health science degree can lead to many different careers, from a healthcare administrator to medical biller and coder.

There are not enough nursing schools to meet the demand for nurses and nursing programs are limited to the number of students they can accommodate. Nursing schools receive thousands of applications from qualified applicants, but can only accept a fraction of as many students.

Another recent report by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing found about 100,000 registered nurses left the profession since 2020. More than 600,000 intend to leave by 2027 due to stress, burnout and retirement.

Which nurses have highest job satisfaction? ›

Can an Introvert Be a Nurse? Introverts can pursue a career in nursing. Whether you're a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), or certified nursing assistant (CNA), you'll be well-positioned to apply the skills and character traits you have as an introvert to your everyday work.

Close to a third of nurses nationwide say they are likely to leave the profession for another career due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey from AMN Healthcare shows. This level is up at least seven points since 2021. And the survey found that the ongoing shortage of nurses is likely to continue for years to come.

In the United States overall, the average registered nurse salary is $82,750 and the median (50th percentile) is $77,600. California, with RN salaries averaging $124,000, is the highest-paying state for nurses as of May 2021 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics).

They are honest in their words, delivery of care, and actions. They are honest in delivering education and answering questions. They do not want to mislead patients—and want the patients to know the facts. But, they have a way of delivering this news or education with compassion and patience.

They Are Great Communicators, and Even Better Listeners

As one can imagine, communication is key. This is no different outside of work. If you are offended easily, dating a nurse may not be the greatest idea for you as they are straightforward and do not waste time beating around the bush.