A 1,000,000 National RN shortage by 2010?

U.S.A. Arizona

Published

Thats what I read in a book that was in the medical reference section at barns and noble today, but i cant for the LIFE of me recall the name of that book ( the cover had a RN sitting on a bench with her hands in her face) All i know it was a pretty depressing book to read about how understaffed the facilities around the nation are now and just a variety of other pressure :chair: . Anyway I just wanted to know if anyone else has heard of a number like that recently? That almost seems impossible I would conclude our health system scattering to bits if that ended up happing, in fact, we would have no health care period . I at one point I had a fear about when i get out of the program (2007) that i would have problems finding work. How wrong i was apparently.

Specializes in cardiac/education.
. I have learned the hard way (with both my parents) that the quickest ticket into the ER is with an ambulance. But that's gonna cost you - bill from Phoenix fire department and ambulance to take my mom to arrowhead for ruptured bowel w/peritonitis......$500, straight admission to ER........priceless.

Cheers,

Lu Ann

Well, guess that is IF you have insurance to pay!!:rotfl:

My $140 bucks leftover from my $700 ER (after insurance) bill left me wishing I had just killed the cat!! (no, not really, I LUV him):D

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I remember back in 1999 I had a severe case of the flu, and the closest hospital to my house was thunderbird medical center (it was not banner then), anyways it was about 8pm at so I had to use the ER entrance, and I couldn't believe what I saw when I got in there. I bet you there were 60-75 people STACKED UP in the ER waiting room. It was so over crowded that there were people laying on the floor for god sakes, and the triage nurse looked like she wanted to jump of off the hospitals roof. Needless to say, I didn't even get to triage I just left. (even though myself I felt so sick I thought I was about to die) I was not even interested in healthcare back then and even at 17 i knew this looked like a huge problem. I know T-bird has gotten a face lift sense banner took them over, but has anyone ever seen something that crazy in the ER waiting room to where people were literary laying on the floor all over? :selfbonk:

Happens all the time in California as well, but flu season is the worst. When people realize they must stop depending upon the "sick care' system to fix them and start taking care of their immune systems, the "health care" system will be back in balance and everyone will be happier.

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Actually, there is a projected shortage of about 1 million RN's but ...

In the year 2020 ... not the year 2010.

At least according to the U.S. Health Department.

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/behindrnprojections/behindshortage.htm#xa5

CNN probably got their years mixed up.

The projected shortage for 2010 is actually 406,000.

And the projected shortage for 2015 is 684,000.

So the shortage is getting worse, and will eventually reach 1 million ... but not as soon as 2010.

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Well I passed my final nursing school exam today! There's one more nurse on the horizon!!

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Well I passed my final nursing school exam today! There's one more nurse on the horizon!!

Well, congrats, marygirl, and I hope nursing is everything you hoped it would be and more, and that you are able to bring healing into your work.

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I remember back in 1999 I had a severe case of the flu, and the closest hospital to my house was thunderbird medical center (it was not banner then), anyways it was about 8pm at so I had to use the ER entrance, and I couldn't believe what I saw when I got in there. I bet you there were 60-75 people STACKED UP in the ER waiting room. It was so over crowded that there were people laying on the floor for god sakes, and the triage nurse looked like she wanted to jump of off the hospitals roof. Needless to say, I didn't even get to triage I just left. (even though myself I felt so sick I thought I was about to die) I was not even interested in healthcare back then and even at 17 i knew this looked like a huge problem. I know T-bird has gotten a face lift sense banner took them over, but has anyone ever seen something that crazy in the ER waiting room to where people were literary laying on the floor all over? :selfbonk:

I often cannot send my pts to the ER because so many hospitals are in divert in the Phoenix area all the time.

However, remember the Dept of Labor Bureau of Labor Statisitics says there are more than enough licensed RNs in the US right now to fill all vacancies.

The ANA's position is that working conditions have driven nurses away from the bedside causing what appears to be a shortage, but in actuality is a "pseudo shortage."

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I've said it before - while I have an MSN, I can't afford to work as an instructor because I would take a pay cut! Fix the system.

I have an ADN, and I couldn't afford to work as an instructor because it would be a serious cut in pay! So why on earth would I want to go to 2-3 more years of school to get an MSN to teach??

Until nursing intructors make 120k/yr to start, there will be a nursing shortage. Why 120k? Because with OT, I can pull 100k as an ADN - with less headache. There has to be a greater incentive to be an instructor - if we are serious about wanting them.

And if you think the retirement age curve looks grim for bedside nurses, you should see what it looks like for our instructors. . .

~faith,

Timothy.

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