News
May-June 2008
New Survey on Nursing
Although the nursing shortage appears to have eased in recent years due to the slower economy, a new survey projects that the United States will be short 285,000 RNs by 2020, a shortage that could cripple access, quality and safety. A shortage of this size would be nearly three times larger than any shortage experienced in the United States during the past 50 years, according to the "Special Report: Public Perceptions of Nursing Careers: the Influence of the Media and Nursing Shortages," which appears in the May-June issue of Nursing Economics$. Authors Karen Donelan, Peter Buerhaus, Catherine DesRoches, Robert Dittus and David Dutwin, found that the public values and trusts nurses tremendously, while more than half believe they are underpaid. They are concerned that there is still no national commitment to ensure that the nursing workforce will be ready to meet the challenges of the next decade, including an influx of Baby Boomers who will consume more health care resources. To read the report, visit www.nursingeconomics.net
