Nursing and the Health Care Industry: An Overview
With over 2.9 million registered nurses currently practicing, nursing is the largest health care occupation in the United States. Registered nurses provide the majority of the health care service in the nation, outnumbering physicians by nearly four to one.
Providing primary and preventive medical care in clinical sectors such as pediatrics, family health, gerontology, and emergency medicine, nurses don't just assist doctors, but also work independently within their defined scope of practice. Although more than half of all nurses work in hospitals, others are employed by medical agencies, clinics, private practices, and managed care organizations.
Nursing Career Outlook
Even though it's already one of the largest careers in the country, nursing is still one of the fastest-growing professions in the health care sector. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that over 1.2 million registered nurses will be needed over the next ten years-- that's almost 35 percent more nurses than we have today.
Today's increased demand for registered nurses is due to a number of changes that have occurred in the medical profession, and in our society as a whole, over the past decade. These following changes have, and will have in the future, important consequences for those interested in the nursing profession.
The Nursing Shortage
As our population ages and people live longer than ever before, a health care revolution is under way. As the Baby Boomers reach their 60s and 70s, they will require extensive health care services. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has predicted that the 65-and-older population will double between the years 2000 and 2030. These older patients are often chronically ill and require more nurses to provide specific medical services.
The U.S. is currently facing a troubling shortage of nurses that is expected to worsen. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 55 percent of existing nurses plan to retire between 2011 and 2020. Thousands of positions will open up as Baby Boomer nurses approach retirement age. Health care professionals fear that demographic changes in the nursing community and the population in general may ultimately limit public access to health care.
Alarmingly, student enrollment in nursing school is not growing at a rate sufficient to meet the projected demand for registered nurses. In 2006, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration announced that U.S. nursing schools will have to award degrees to 90 percent more nurses in order to meet this demand. All over the country, colleges, universities and health care providers are responding to this shortage with increased funding for nursing education.
Nursing School Opportunities
Concerns over this nursing shortage in the U.S. health care workforce have prompted the enactment of the Nurse Reinvestment Act in 2002, which provides support for nurse career development, better dissemination of specialized knowledge, and institutional changes to increase job satisfaction. The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) continues to monitor the effectiveness of this act and is pushing to improve work environments and assist nurses in becoming further educated, at least to the baccalaureate level.
Opportunities for enrollment in nursing school have never been as abundant as they are today. With various federal and state agencies, hospitals, and nursing schools working to fill the projected need for nurses, universities are recruiting nursing students at astronomical rates.
In addition, the appearance of online training has increased the accessibility of nursing schools to those who wish to earn their degree at home. Students can now fulfill the non-clinical requirements for many nursing degrees online, without the inconvenience of commuting to a campus.
Sources
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
US Health Resources and Services Administration
US Government Accountability Office
