Efforts To Diminish Nursing Shortages
Despite the tough economy and lack of jobs, the field of nursing is in need…
Despite the tough economy and lack of jobs, the field of nursing is in need of employers! Many students have been spending time during the recession working toward nursing degrees. Some people even leave their current jobs in other field so pursue a career in nursing. By the time these students graduate, they might expect to fill growing health care needs that are expected to accompany aging baby boomers.
Bachelor’s degrees aren’t always required in order to enter the nursing profession, but it is evident that the more educated a registered nurse is, the better that individual might be prepared to care for patients. Professional nursing associations have been encouraging registered nurses to recognize entry level trends in the field and to advance their degrees to fill needs in areas such as advanced practice specialties and nurse educators.
Some states might nevertheless have fewer registered nurses with nursing degrees than others. The Sunshine State – with a more prominent aging population than many other states in the country – is one of them. More recently, Florida is one of 10 states expected to create healthcare “action plans” intended to help with providing quality patient care. Just think, a large elderly population most likely will require more nurses.
With regard to the shortage of working nurses with nursing degrees at the Bachelor’s level, some 41 percent of Florida’s nurses hold them as compared with half of the nurses nationwide. While Florida might be short on registered nurses with college degrees, however, the state’s nursing professionals are more diverse than nurses in other states. Florida does have residents who come from a wide array of different backgrounds.
A recent survey in Florida compared the nearly 50,000 results with national surveys. A concern arose regarding the quality and safety of patient care in Florida Health Insurance Basics For Dummies along with the ability for colleges and universities, with a shortage of graduate nursing degree-holders, to educate registered nurses of the future.
Throughout the country over the past 10 years, enrollment in nursing degree programs has consistently increased. It seems to be a popular choice among new college students. Nursing schools, however, have a shortage of faculty members as well as places that can provide clinical education; this can hinder program expansion.
Several colleges and universities have nevertheless have nursing degree programs, including programs that provide professional nurses with shorter routes to obtaining their degrees. These offerings include RN to BSN programs at public colleges and universities in Florida. RN to BSN programs are typically intended Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds for registered nurses with hospital diplomas or Associate’s degrees. Nursing degree programs also are changing as a means of accommodating changes associated with healthcare reform. In some instances, for example, registered nurses might have to assist in filling demands placed on primary care physicians.