[OldMareLPN]

By Mary Nash, Chief Nursing Officer, Ohio State Univ Med Ctr

At no other time in history has nursing provided such incredible opportunity for job growth and job security. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. The increase in outpatient procedures, escalating regulation and rise of managed care providers have created a seemingly endless list of roles vital to managing the healthcare system, many of which can only be filled by experienced nurses.

The rise in popularity of outpatient surgery in particular has had a significant impact on the nursing profession at both the ambulatory care facility and hospital levels. When I started in nursing just 30 years ago, outpatient procedures were relatively rare. Now commonplace, they are used for procedures from arthroscopic knee surgery to cancer biopsies and even hysterectomies. According to eMedicineHealth.com, more than 60 percent of elective surgery procedures in the United States are currently performed as outpatient surgeries. Health experts expect this will increase to nearly 75 percent over the next decade. read more @ Licensed Practical Nurse Association of Ohio

[RN1989]

Ahhh, yet again a supply and demand issue. And still no one addresses the issues of keeping nurses at the bedside by fixing the problems that have contributed to the need for increased nurses.

[Iam46yearsold]

I like the demand going up. Works out very well for myself. I am taking full advantage of it also. Life can be very good.

[awsmom8]

What is ironic is that this article discusses the many uses of nurses in outpt., ER, nurse midwives, etc yet in my state you have to be an RN to work in these areas--and this article is published on the LPN website.
As far as supply and demand, I would rather use LPN's to fill some slots of nursing than be short staffed--yet they are all delegated to geriatrics now. Forget the PCT--bring back the LPN's!

[oramar]

When the occasional out patient proceedure goes wrong and the patient is consequencely admitted to inpatient facility, he/she will be the bedside nurses third admit of the day as well as 8th to 12th patient. At that point the patient and family will begin to find out what and where things are really going wrong in our health care system.

[Poochee]

wish I saw the boom for LPN's in my area atlanta

[ToxicShock]

How bout more teachers please!