[brian]

Caring career: Nurse need grows acute

Amid an uncertain economy and worrisome unemployment numbers, there's a well-paying field begging for workers.

Nurses are taking on an increasingly diverse role in health care, opening up new jobs in all kinds of settings, including community health, home care and hospitals. As demand for nurses has risen, so have salaries.

Pay at the beginning of last year among the 23,141 members in the city averaged more than $60,000, according to the New York State Nurses Association. Despite respectable salaries, flexible schedules and work that can be very rewarding, nurses remain in need.

"New York City has a somewhat greater nursing shortage problem in terms of filling hospital nursing positions," said Mary Mundinger, dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing. The shortfall "is about 8% and 9% nationwide. In New York, it's getting close to 10%."

Full Story: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/200...ows_acute.html

[oramar]

I am getting confused about this nursing shortage thing. Some articles are saying that there is a glut and others are talking about the shortage. Best I can make out is that it is a regional thing but I am not sure about that.

[ocankhe]

The shortage of nurses is regionally being affected by two main reasons. First is the regional economy and secondly is how many hospitals are providing adequate staffing and working conditions. To the latter point a great many hospitals have improved working conditions and they have much less difficuilty in attracting and retaining nurses (look to the effects of California and Victorias mandated ratios or those states that have out lawed mandatory OT).
The bigger role in the shortage is begginning to be played out as the aging baby boomers retire thus increasing demand for health care services while at the same time nurses who are boomers will decrease the pool of RNs available to meet demand. (Nurses are retiring faster then they can be replaced).
So if you are 20-40 something you will have increasing job security and be on the correct side of the supply/demand ratio for the majority of your nursing career. There may still be pockets of over supply but I beleive that will be short lived.
Remember also that RN employment is expanding into areas outside the hospital and away from the bedside. When I started in this field 40 years ago over 80% of all nurses were employed by hospitals, that is now down to 50-55% of RN are employed by hospitals.

[RN102]

One thing I can say for sure; THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF RN'S IN NEW JERSEY! I have been out of school since December and have yet to find a job. Every place I call says "we are looking for experienced nurses". Aaaahhhh... So very frustrating.

[2bnurse-1]

There is not a shortage of nurses, but rather seats(clinical space) to get in Nursing program.

There are many students on a long waiting just crossing thier fingers and toes to get into the program.

[sewillia]

Hi everyone...

To the comments that are featured to this thread...
I don't know about a Nursing Shortage...They have been talking about a nursing shortage since I have graduated from nursing school since 1986. I know that California Nurses work with few patients (1:5) on Med/surg Units and Telemetry (1:4). Maybe if the New York Board of Nursing change the nursing law and mandating that Professional nurses have a patient ration of 1:5, maybe the shortage won't be as great and alot to the nurses may return. Just a thought...

[sewillia]

Hi again...

To slack the New York State Nursing Shortage is to hire your ASN and your LPN's like they do in the Southern State. I know NY has a set date for all nurses to have their BSN by 2010,but can lessen the shortage.