I think that the projections for the nursing shortage is optimistic considering that the average age of a RN in the US is 46y and that healthcare insurance carriers are promoting (demanding) reimbursement for quality measures which takes the nurse away from the bedside to do quality paperwork instead of providing quality patient care. The population is getting older, more demands of the nurses, no increase pay with the demands. Wow, I am looking forward to working another 20 years now that I am considered average aged! Maybe at 66 I will be average age again!