Almost 500,000 licensed registered nurses were not employed as nurses in 2000.*
Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA's) 2000 national sample survey of RNs shows that more than 500,000 licensed nurses (more than 18% of the national nurse workforce) have chosen not to work in nursing. This available labor pool could be drawn back into nursing if they found the employment opportunities attractive enough**
The ANA maintains that the deterioration in the working conditions for nurses is the primary cause for the staff vacancies being reported by hospitals and nursing facilities - not a systemic nursing shortage. Nurses are opting not to take these nursing jobs because they are not attracted to positions where they will be confronted by mandatory overtime and short staffing. **
76.6% (of) Licensed RNs (in The U.S. are) Employed in Nursing***
* Projected Supply, Demand and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020 (released on 7/30/03 by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). The Bureau of Labor Statistics, in an earlier report, predicted that that we will need one million new nurses by 2010 (Monthly Labor Review - November 2001) to cover new positions and replace the nurses who have retired.
Put a spin on it, imagine if instead of a nursing shortage there were a policeman shortage. Can you imagine the public outcry? .
Absolutely, Lilgirl! I agree. Yet four times as many nurses die from job related injuries than police officers. Where is the outcry? Where are the public motorcades? Trouble is - there is not the drama of dying slowly from diseases than the drama of a police chase/shootout/whatever. Some people think the difference is a function of the general gender makeup of the professions. Can you imagine if a police professional died every day from job incidents (like the death rate for nurses?) Point is, working conditions and safety should be optimal for all of us - firefighters, police, nurses and everyone else too.
A friend sent an article from today's paper to me. It is on a police shortage near her town. The public got involved and started a petition. This is the SAME community where weeks ago, in a unit with a staffing shortage that night, a nurse was found unconscious - strangled by her patient (she survived). But the police shortage gets the public attention.
Anyway, here is the article on the police shortage:
New nurses are not comming into the profession in droves because they have heard us, their aunts, neighbors, mothers, friends etc. talk about the realities of nursing.
They understand that they have better and more oportunites today and are taking them.
Gone are the days when women had two professional options ( both handmadens to men) secretary and nurse.
In our area, it's not so much that new people are not wanting to enter nursing, it's the fact that they can't enter. Waiting lists are from 2-4 years to get into nursing schools in the area.
There is no shortage yet. Theres 500,000 RNs not working in nursing - but still active and licensed. The AHA reports only 126,000 vacant hospital nursing positions nationwide. Do the simple arithmetic. Even after adjusting for those who are employed in other fields and those who have no intention of ever using their nursing license again, but keep it active, there are still hundreds of thousands of potentially-available nurses. Enough to fill every one of those currently vacant poistions.
Those nurses were surveyed during that study mentioned up there and their response was that they would return to the bedside IF the working conditions and compensations were improved. So what do our employers do? Do they say AHA! A SOLUTION! And immediately start improving those things to get all those nurses back? Do they do anything we tell them we need before we come back? Nope. They offer a sign on bonus - which doesnt work - and then they complain to the government that there just are no nurses to be found ----- and push for laws to expand the scope of UAPs so they can hire more of them instead --- and save money.
Does anyone know if these figures include other areas of direct care nursing such as LTC?
Every article I have ever read points to nursing shortages in the hospitals and unfilled postions in the hospitals, but I can't find out from anyone if LTC, rehab, home health, dr. offices, clinics, school nurses, plant nurses, etc. have been filled in to the numbers as well.
I have been a nurse for 20 years. My experience is that employers do not want a nurse with experience because they have to pay higher salaries and cannot delete benefits as easily. Costs are kept low at the bedside increasing burnout of the nurses who remain.
Unfortunately, there is now more competition in the more non-traditional nursing roles. Just try to get a position in another field outside of nursing. You are either over qualified or under qualified. They won't hire you because they think you will expect a high salary or you have to choose a job that pays $12 or less an hour. I feel like I have to go back to school and learn a new trade. The question is. . .what trade will have job openings when I complete my training???? Any suggestions?
Does anyone know if these figures include other areas of direct care nursing such as LTC?
Every article I have ever read points to nursing shortages in the hospitals and unfilled postions in the hospitals, but I can't find out from anyone if LTC, rehab, home health, dr. offices, clinics, school nurses, plant nurses, etc. have been filled in to the numbers as well.
Thank You
I wonder, too, but couldn't find any numbers. I know by looking at the classifieds around here (Maine) there are plenty of open RN/LPN positions for LTC advertised. Also, I am inclined to think that the shortage if nurses in LTC is real, at least here, because the pay is just about equal to that of nurses who work in hospitals or they offer incentives, ie, work 36, get paid for 40.
Here's an allnurses link that asks the same question. It is a couple of years old, though.
I wonder, too, but couldn't find any numbers. I know by looking at the classifieds around here (Maine) there are plenty of open RN/LPN positions for LTC advertised. Also, I am inclined to think that the shortage if nurses in LTC is real, at least here, because the pay is just about equal to that of nurses who work in hospitals or they offer incentives, ie, work 36, get paid for 40.
Here's an allnurses link that asks the same question. It is a couple of years old, though.
Thank so much. This is exactly what I mean. My area (Delaware) LTC actually pays more than the hospitals on average, because hospitals don't have mandated staffing ratios and LTC does. The paper is constantly full of ads for nurses for the hospitals, LTC, dr's offices, corrections, etc.
The state senator who pushed the bill through for the ratios used the same arguement that is posted here. That there is no nursing shortages and that by increasing staffing (which pushes up wages) working conditions will get better, and more nurses will return to nursing.
It hasn't happened yet. All it has managed to do is push up the acuity of the residents in our facilities because the hospital hasn't the nurses to deal with them and the even more acute patients.
Nursing schools are lowering the standards for passing grades so the "time isn't wasted" on someone who flunks out of the program. It scares me to death.
Nursing schools are lowering the standards for passing grades so the "time isn't wasted" on someone who flunks out of the program. It scares me to death.
Whoa! That is scarey! That isn't occurring around here, yet, but it makes me wonder, if the schools are lowering their standards, will these students even be able to pass boards?
When I was in nursing school, it was practically unheard of to hear that one of our grads not not pass state boards. If someone made it through nursing school, they had what it takes. 99.9% did anywho.
Today, I work with too many nurses who could not pass first or second time around. Some have had to pay all kinds of 'extra' $$$ in study guides and extra materials so they could 'pass the NCLEX'.
To me this is a definite commentary on the state of our nursing schools today.
When I was in nursing school, it was practically unheard of to hear that one of our grads not not pass state boards. If someone made it through nursing school, they had what it takes. 99.9% did anywho.
Today, I work with too many nurses who could not pass first or second time around. Some have had to pay all kinds of 'extra' $$$ in study guides and extra materials so they could 'pass the NCLEX'.
To me this is a definite commentary on the state of our nursing schools today.
I agree there could be something to that, but I also think that boards must be harder today, too, than they were, say 25 years ago. We have made alot of advances in medicine, so I presume the boards are alot more technical than they previously were to accomodate those advances. Still, if my assumption is true, that coupled with lowering standards will have an even worse effect on the competency of future nurses.
That is scarey! That isn't occurring around here, yet, but it makes me wonder, if the schools are lowering their standards, will these students even be able to pass boards?
azverte
19 Posts
Absolutely, Lilgirl! I agree. Yet four times as many nurses die from job related injuries than police officers. Where is the outcry? Where are the public motorcades? Trouble is - there is not the drama of dying slowly from diseases than the drama of a police chase/shootout/whatever. Some people think the difference is a function of the general gender makeup of the professions. Can you imagine if a police professional died every day from job incidents (like the death rate for nurses?) Point is, working conditions and safety should be optimal for all of us - firefighters, police, nurses and everyone else too.
A friend sent an article from today's paper to me. It is on a police shortage near her town. The public got involved and started a petition. This is the SAME community where weeks ago, in a unit with a staffing shortage that night, a nurse was found unconscious - strangled by her patient (she survived). But the police shortage gets the public attention.
Anyway, here is the article on the police shortage:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/saturday/local_news_f35b1b6ff206c09b1071.html
Be safe and well
Az