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The Nursing Shortage - Why Nursing is One of the Hottest Jobs Today
by Brent McNutt
Nursing is one of the hottest jobs today and is expected to be so for the next ten to twenty years. Why is this? Primarily because baby boomers in the United States (or the world, for that matter) are aging and they are living longer because of increasing medical advancements and technologies. There is a shortage of nurses today and the increasing demand will only exacerbate this shortage. Those who are earning their nursing degrees can be assured or of a long-term and high-paying job well into the future.
Factors contributing to the nursing shortage:
Aside from the aging population and increase in medical advancements, the factors contributing to the nursing shortage is the fact that enrollment in nursing schools is not growing fast enough to meet the demand. Also, there is a limited nursing faculty. Because there are fewer new nurses every year, the average age of currently working registered nurses is climbing (which is about 45). Ten years from now, a lot of these nurses will be retiring and new nurses are needed to fill their positions. In a study published in the journal Nursing Economics, it was reported that the shortage of nurses is negatively affecting the healthcare goals set by the National Quality Forum and the Institute of Medicine because it undermines the quality of patient care.
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How the nursing shortage is being addressed:
There is a lot of concern about the nursing shortage and the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) is trying to address this crisis by working with schools, the media, policy makers, and other organizations. Beginning 2005, the AACN implemented strategies such as statewide initiatives to encourage practicing nurses to go back to school and earn graduate or advanced degrees to teach the next generation of student nurses. Universities and nursing colleges also formed partnerships and sought private support to increase student capacity in nursing schools. The US Department of Labor also did its share by awarding more than $12 million in grants through the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative. Of the $12 million, $3 million will go to address the shortage of nursing faculty.
Online nursing programs made available:
To make it easier for aspiring nurses and to accommodate more nursing students, a lot of universities and schools are offering online programs. Schools such as Kaplan University, South University, and University of Phoenix have developed high-quality distance learning programs. Not only is it cheaper compared to traditional nursing education, but those who have part-time or full-time jobs or family obligations can also take advantage of this opportunity. Learning online offers many benefits, chief of them is the convenience of choosing when to hear lectures and when to do school work and assignments. However, not because it is a virtual classroom doesn't mean it's a lot easier or takes less time to finish. Courses, modules and lessons follow the traditional lessons and only differ in delivery and medium. Online learning is also not for everyone. It takes a lot of discipline, independence and organization to successfully finish programs and pass examinations.
About the Author
Brent McNutt enjoys talking about urbane scrubs free shipping and landau scrubs free shipping as well as networking with healthcare professionals online.
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