A Healthcare Bubble?

Nurses General Nursing

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While everyone is aware of the real estate bubble, few see a potential new 'bubble'.

Does anyone beside me sense a 'healthcare bubble'? While my prognosticating is laughable (like my football picks), I am going to go ahead and predict an impending bubble with the near catostrophic burst.

Look at it like this, the economy crashes-people cut back on preventive healthcare and anything looking like 'elective' procedures. Hospitals and clinics go into 'lay off' mode. Ratios expand for those remaining, and nurses begin to drift away from the bedside. Now down the road the stressed workers and unemployed start to feel the effects of forgoing the preventative care. The hospitals and clinics are caught short on staff and the 'new grads' in limbo can not be trained fast enough.

BINGO it all hits the fan.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

The ebb and flow of healthcare has been experienced in the past, most likely in future also.

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It's currently in between or just after the stages you mentioned.... and will continue - you will likely be in the wrong place at the wrong time.. as will i :)

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pedi., Critical Care.

Funny you should mention that. I have recently thought of the same thing. I work in a large county hospital so I don't think we will be effected. We will probably be busier! I do agree with you that people will be putting off elective procedures.:twocents:

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I do think there is a healthcare bubble. However, I don't quite see it the same as the op described. I think we are still on the upswing. Despite the recent global economic downturn, we have generally seen healthcare grow and grow over the past few years. There are new hospitals, new wings, expanding roles for many healthcare workers. Things have taken a step back recently, but assuming the economy overall recovers in a couple of years (a big if), baby boomers will continue to add to an aging population. The timeframe I'm looking at for the bubble to burst is when the baby boomers really die off in large numbers. Regardless of any other variables involved, a rapid lowering of the average age of Americans will decrease healthcare needs. I worry not about nursing jobs in the next five years, but about 20 years from now.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I worry that my sweet per diem wage will be slashed should my facility ever be sold etc. but I don't worry about not being able to get a job.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I do think there is a healthcare bubble. However I don't quite see it the same as the op described. I think we are still on the upswing. Despite the recent global economic downturn, we have generally seen healthcare grow and grow over the past few years. There are new hospitals, new wings, expanding roles for many healthcare workers. Things have taken a step back recently, but assuming the economy overall recovers in a couple of years (a big if), baby boomers will continue to add to an aging population. The timeframe I'm looking at for the bubble to burst is when the baby boomers really die off in large numbers. Regardless of any other variables involved, a rapid lowering of the average age of Americans will decrease healthcare needs. I worry not about nursing jobs in the next five years, but about 20 years from now.[/quote']

'Die off'? Makes us Boomers sound like dinosaurs.......:chuckle

You needn't worry about running out of nursing jobs in 20 years. The youngest members of my generation are still in their mid-40s and mostly healthier than their parents were, so there should be plenty of people to take care of for the next 40-50 years.;)

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Ratios expand for those remaining, and nurses begin to drift away from the bedside.

Where are those nurses going to go?

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