Why is there such a shortage of Registered Nurses?

Question

Only 2 years of school, good pay....so why is their a shortage?

Answer 1

Great question. I am a nurse and I have some opinion on this.
First.... to be a registered nurse (RN) it can take anywhere from 2 years to 4 or 5 years. For a diploma in nursing it's usualy a course through a hospital and that usually takes 2 years. It also usually takes 2 or 3 years for an associates degree in nursing. This track goes through a college or university and you have an associates degree when you are done. The third way is to get a bachelor's degree in nursing, which obvioulsy is through a university. The highest entry level is the BSN (bachelor's of science in nursing).

This being said..... Nursing's role has expanded greatly over the past several decades. Nurses have gone from being doctor's maids to independent thinkers and valued members of the healthcare team. I mean if you think about it, the nurses are the ones who make the hospitals run and any doctor you talk to will validate the importance of good nurses. There are so many reasons for the shortage. One is the job is very demanding. Nurses often have to know more and do more than even the doctors do. Nurses are kinda like the front line in the Army. Often times we are stuck in the middle of patients and doctors and administration. It's very stressful. Second, the profession is dominated right now by women. This is actually a trend that is changing, as we are seeing more and more men becoming nurses, but the big thing about women is they get pregnant. This contributes to the shortage. Another reason is that the roles of nurses have changed so that there are many, many more opportunities for nurses than there ever were before. A nurse can practice in a school, hospital, church... he or she can be a home care nurse or in an administrative position in a hospital.... they can practice in work places like factories. I mean there are so many nurses needed for all these places that there is no way to educate people fast enough to take over. The last reason I will mention is that the road to becoming a nurse is very difficult. My graduating class started with 100 people and we had only 60 people who actually made it through to graduation. Nursing school is a lot like medical school in the amount of knowledge you get, but it's done in a lot shorter time. Many people are unable to complete the program and that doesn't help the shortage obviously.

So, to answer your question,,, there are probably a hundred different factors that contribute to the nursing shortage. There is no short answer to the question. Undoubtedly it is a great profession, but it's a tough road to become and RN, and an even tougher road to remain in a job where you see death and illness and families torn apart. All of this affects the shortage. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

From what I understand there are alot of RN's that are retiring age, so there aren't enough people to fill the open positions.

It's not usually just 2 years of school...it's usually 2 years of nursing school, but you sometimes have to go for at least a year to get in.

It's hard work, long hours, little pay (for what you have to deal with - I make almost as much as an RN and I can sit on my butt all day and crunch numbers...boring, but not usually stressful).

Answer 3

i haven't heard of this style of application, however i think that's a threat that it ought to exist (i'm from the Midwest and not too conscious of practices on the coasts). additionally, just to be sparkling, "scientific college" is the place medical doctors are knowledgeable. Registered nurses take their coursework in colleges of nursing.

Answer 4

Overworked and underpaid!

Answer 5

because they work endless hours with little thanks and are exposed to the worst misery constantly

Answer 6

HMOs