The US is facing a severe nursing shortage. Around 8.5 percent of the nursing positions in the US are unfilled. It is also calculated by the number will triple by 2020. Hospital and administrators and nurses’ advocates have declared a staffing crisis. Wages for the registered nurses have been increased. Huge numbers of nurses who have specialized in RN programs are brought into the US from abroad every year. Critics say that it is a short term solution and cannot overcome long term problems.
Registered Nurses make up the majority of workers in the health care industry. They hold a position of seniority over LPN programs. After getting a degree in RN programs a person’s job becomes more challenging and rewarding. A student is taught in the RN programs about the needs of patients suffering from illness or injury. During a time of nursing shortage the opportunities of registered nurses widens. A full-time two years course of RN programs prepares the graduate to work in the nursing environment.
Based on all this data and research the picture is fairly clear. As of March 2008 the survey estimated there were 2.7 million licensed registered nurses in the US. The shortage of registered nurses in the US could reach as high as 500,000 by 2025. There are already nursing shortages in California and New York and other states have reported some difficulties in finding registered nurses. Thus the government has planned to introduce RN programs in most reputed colleges in reasonable fees so that students take interest in it. It has also been instructed some of the hospital to partner with some colleges so that the qualified registered nurses do not fly to different places.