Nursing Shortage

7 Pages 1686 Words

of the nurses shifted to out- of- hospital employment. Since hospitals have become more “managed care” oriented, there have been reductions in hospital admissions, reductions in length of stays, an increased demand for skilled nurses, and an increase in job- loss for Registered Nurses.
Decades ago the nursing profession was composed mostly of women, also women had limited job opportunities. Because of this, there was never a staffing problem for Registered Nurses in hospitals. Now, women have a variety of job opportunities, and there is a marked decrease in women choosing a career in nursing.
There have been increases in the average age of working nursing since the 1980's. In 1983, the average age of working RNs was 37.4. In 1998 the average age of working RNs rose to 41.9. Over this same time frame the average age for the rest of the United State’s working population had only increased by 2 years. Researchers believe that over the next 20 years the average age for working ...