Govt. study released

[natalie]

We all knew this anyways, but it's significant that this study was done by the HHS. It clues the public in a bit more on the truth.

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/01/04/04376644.shtml?Element_ID=4376644

http://www.hrsa.gov/Newsroom/releases/2001%20Releases/nursestudy.htm

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Also available at this site

HRSA National Survey Cites Slowdown in Number of Registered Nurses Entering Profession http://www.hrsa.gov/Newsroom/releases/2001%20Releases/nursesurvey.htm

From press release:

The survey, the most extensive and comprehensive source of statistics on registered nurses with current licenses to practice in the United States, found that the nation's RNs continue to grow older and the rate of nurses entering the profession has slowed over the past four years.

Comparisons of data from the 1980 and 2000 surveys show a significant shift in the age of the RN population. In 1980, 52.9 percent of RNs were under the age of 40, but by 2000, only 31.7 percent were under 40.

In addition, the U.S. population increased 13.7 percent between 1990 and 2000. At the same time, the rate of nurses entering the workforce was just 4.1 percent between 1996 and 2000, down from 14.2 percent growth between 1992 and 1996.

"The fact is we're not attracting enough new nurses or maintaining the current nurse workforce at a level to keep pace with the growth in demand," said HRSA Administrator Claude Earl Fox, M.D., M.P.H.

This site has link to full report.

Very omminous.