NURSE SHORTAGE SHOWING SIGNS ALL ACROSS THE US

As the economy improves, the nursing shortage will continue to escalate.  The reasons are many: Baby Boom Generation Demand, Aging Nursing Workforce, Few Nurse Educators, Distribution Challenges, and a lack of available visa for Foreign-trained Nurses. 

We may be approaching the tipping point.  We are beginning to signs from all across the US that nursing shortages are impacting patient care.  All of the articles linked below have been published in the last 10 days.

Alabama: “School nurses in the Mobile County Public School System say they're in a crisis. Many spoke at the board meeting Monday night to explain how not having enough nurses is putting children's lives in danger.”

South Dakota:  “A shortage of registered nurses has become so severe at one South Dakota hospital that it’s actually been forced to close hospital beds.”

Oregon and Washington: “Oregon and Washington will be short a combined 13,000 registered nurses by 2025”.  This article cites the aging nursing workforce, the distribution problems, and the lack of nurse educators.

Georgia: “A nurse shortage has driven up wages, making it hard for nonprofits like hers to compete.”

Kentucky: “the one thing abundantly clear is that the problem lies not only in putting students in seats, but in finding educators to get them to the cap and gown.”