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Contributing
Factors to the Nursing Shortage
- Decline in
student enrollment
"Schools of nursing are
reporting a decline in student enrollment.
Enrollment in entry level baccalaureate
programs in nursing increased by 8% nationwide
since the fall of 2001. Despite this increase,
enrollment is still down by almost 10%
or 11,584 students from 1995. On average
over the last 5 years, the number of graduates
declined by 1,030 each year."
www.aacn.nche.edu
- Shortage
of nursing school faculty
"According to a survey by the
American Association of Colleges of Nursing,
38.8% of schools who responded pointed
to faculty shortages as a reason for not
accepting all qualified applicants into
entry level baccalaureat programs."
www.aacn.nche.edu
"According to a study released by
the Southern Regional Board of Education
(SREB) in February 2002, a serious shortage
of nursing faculty was documented in 16
SREB states and the District of Columbia.
Survey findings show a 12% decrease in
the number of nurse educators as a result
of resignations, retirements and the shortage
of student candidates for faculty role."
www.sreb.org
- Average age
of the RN is climbing
"The average age of the working
registered nurse was 43.3 in March 2000,
up from 42.3 in 1996. The RN population
under the age of 30 dropped from 25.1%
of the nursing population in 1980 to 9.1%
in 2000."
http://www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/rnsurvey/default.htm
"According to a July 2001 report
released by the Government Accounting
Office, 40% of all RNs will be older than
age 50 by the year 2010."
www.gao.gov
- Slow Growth
of RN Population
"The total population of registered
nurses is growing at the slowest rate
in 20 years. The total RN population increased
from 2,558,874 in 1996 to 2,696,540 in
2000. Of the total RN population in 2000,
an estimated 58.5% work full time in nursing,
23.2% work part time, and 18.3 are not
employed in nursing."
http://www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/rnsurvey/default.htm
- Changing
demographics
"The future demand for nurses
is expected to increase dramatically as
the baby boomers reach their 60's, 70's
and beyond."
www.gao.gov
"The ratio of potential caregivers
to the people most likely to need care,
the elderly population, will decrease
by 40% between 2010 and 2030."
www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/nursing/may01
Failure
to retain nurses contributes to
avoidable patient deaths. |
- Job burnout
and dissatisfaction
"According to a study released in
the Journal of the American Medical Association
in October 2002, nurses reported greater
job dissatisfaction and Emotional exhaustion
when they were responsible for more patients
than they can safely care for. "Failure
to retain nurses contributes to avoidable
patient deaths" according to Dr.
Linda Aiken."
www.nursing.upenn.edu/news/detail.asp?t=2&id=23
"According to a study published by
Dr. Linda Aiken and colleagues in May/June
2001, more than 40% of nurses working
in hospitals reported being dissatisfied
with their jobs. The study indicates that
1 out of every 3 hospital nurses under
the age of 30 are planning to leave their
current job in the next year."
www.healthaffairs.org
"According to a study commissioned
by the Federation of Nursed and Health
Professionals in April 2001, 1 out of
evry 5 nurses currently working is considering
leaving the patient care field for reasons
other than retirement within the next
five years."
www.aft.org/fnhp/publications/index.html
Staffing
shortages are contributing to emergency
department overcrowding and the
need to close beds |
- High nurse
turnover
"The
average nurse vacancy rate in U.S. hospitals
was 13%. Over one in seven hospitals reported
a severe RN vacancy rate of more than
20%. Survey respondents indicated that
a shortage of personnel is contributing
to emergency department overcrowding and
ambulance diversions."
www.aha.org
"According to a report released
in January 2002 by the Americal Organization
of Nurse Executives, the average RN turnover
rate was 10.2% with the highest rates
found in critical care units (14.6%) and
medical surgical care (14.1%). Nurse executives
surveyed indicated that staffing shortages
are contributing to emergency department
overcrowding (51%) and the need to close
beds (25%)."
www.aone.org
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