Nursing Shortage
High Demand
There’s no better time than now to attend a nurse practitioner program online. The demand for qualified nurses continues to increase as baby boomers across the country continue to age. Registered nursing is anticipated to be one of the hottest careers over the next several years due to the shortage of qualified professionals.
Reuters reports that an estimated 116,000 registered nurse careers are unfiled at U.S. hospitals, and nearly 100,000 jobs go vacant in nursing homes. There are a variety of factors that play into the shortage of nurses in the healthcare industry. This includes an aging U.S. population, limited nursing school faculties, and an overall slow enrollment in nursing school programs.
The repercussions of this shortage are nothing short of devastating. A study conducted by nursing work force expert Peter Buerhaus at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee reveals that 6,700 patient deaths and 4 million days of hospital care could be avoided annually if the number of nurses were to increase.
Efforts to Relieve the Shortage
The American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) has made moves to work with schools, policy makers, the media, and other organizations to bring attention to this healthcare crisis. Additionally, President Obama signed an economic stimulus bill that included $500 million to address shortages of health works, with about $100 million potentially aimed at dealing with the nursing shortage. Many nursing colleges and universities have also formed strategic partnerships and have sough private support to help expand the student capacity in schools.
Moving Online
Another dilemma in the quest to produce more nurses in the healthcare industry is the fact that there simply aren’t enough qualified teachers and space to accommodate new students into nursing schools. To alleviate this problem, many schools have developed immersive, high-quality online nursing programs.
Thanks in part to technological innovations of the past decade and an increased effort by both educators and medical care professionals to provide an all-encompassing online experience, online nursing programs can now rival that of their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Many of these online programs incorporate curricular components that you can complete at local clinics or hospitals.
Moving Forward
If you’re interested in becoming involved in the in-demand profession of nursing, you should investigate more about nursing as a career , the different jobs that exist in today’s market, nursing salaries, and learn about the different degree programs that are out there. Taking the right steps now can put you on the path to a long and successful career!
Online Nursing Degree Options
Today it’s easier than ever for you to further your education and change your career path with an online nursing degree. If you want to start taking steps towards becoming a nurse, find the online school and degree program that’s right for you today!
RN to BSN Degree
Advance your career by obtaining your Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree
Become a nurse by obtaining your bachelor of science in nursing. Read our guide for more information.
Adult Nurse Practitioner Program
Help fulfill the need for nurses who can provide adult primary care to patients with an online adult nurse degree.
Family Nurse Practitioner Program
Learn how to help treat families dealing with illnesses by enrolling in an online family nurse degree.
Clinical Nurse Practitioner Program
Focus your nursing education in a specialized area with a degree that focuses on clinical training, research, and more.
Nursing Education Degree
Help respond to the industry’s nursing shortage by beginning your career as a nurse educator and train the nurses of tomorrow.
Midwifery Program
Help women as they prepare to give birth with a career as a nurse midwife.
Nursing Administration Degree
Start your career as a nursing administrator and help to manage and coordinate your own team of nurses in the workplace.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Program
Devote your nursing skills to helping treat patients suffering from some form of mental illness.
Women’s Health Program
Take a women’s health nursing degree and learn how you can help to treat medical conditions that commonly affect in female patients.
Resources for Becoming a Nurse
There are a lot of things to consider as you move forward with your education and begin plotting the course of your career, but you don’t have to do it alone. Get the information you need by exploring our Career Resources below.
Nurse Careers
Find out more about the variety of careers available to nurses who are able to work in the medical care industry.
Nursing Schools
Find a school that will best prepare you to enter a health care industry in need of educated and skillful nurses.
NCLEX Examination
Find out what’s covered on the National Council Licensure Examination – also known as the NCLEX – and learn how this test is essential in launching your nursing career.
Nursing Programs
Explore the variety of nursing degree programs that exist for students looking to enter into the health care industry.
Nursing Salaries
See how the nursing shortage has affected salaries for nurses working in the industry, and learn how earning your degree can help you increase your earnings.