5 Nursing Trends to Watch Out for This Year!
Healthcare organizations are in dire need of registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and any other professional with the title “nurse” in their job description. The American Nursing Association (ANA) predicts the demand will increase by 11% over the next few years. What trends will impact the supply of and demand for nurses?
What Trends Will Impact Nurse Staffing?
There are five key trends impacting the nursing shortage:
- Nurse retirement. Since 2012, 60,000 nurses have retired each year. By the end of the decade, that number will increase to 70,000 a year. Many nurses took early retirement during COVID while still others just naturally are leaving the field as they age.
- Nurse burnout is affecting 2.7 million of these healthcare professionals this year. Even more startling, 90% of nurses say that they are considering leaving the profession. The pandemic exacerbated this issue and it’s a huge cause for concern.
- Baby boomer aging that’s placing more demand for nurses. Across the U.S., the entire population is aging. Our country has the highest volume of people over the age of 65 than at any other time in history. By 2029, the last of the baby boomers will near retirement age, increasing the number of Americans over 65 by 73%. Given that at least 60% of Americans have at least one chronic disease, these older Americans will need nursing care.
- A nursing facility shortage. To add to the pressures hiring teams face, 88% of nursing homes and 77% of assisted living facilities are struggling to find the nurses they need. As these facilities ask their existing staff to work extra hours, it exacerbates the pressures leading to nursing burnout.
- As if all of these trends aren’t enough, not enough new nurses entering the profession to keep up with the demand. We are seeing more potential nurses taking more online courses. The pandemic did increase the volume of these programs, which is an attractive alternative to traditional programs. There is also hope to be found in the fact that student enrollment in entry-level nursing programs increased by 3.3% in 2021. With this said, however, there have been declines in the number of RN to BSN program participation rates and enrollment in master’s programs.
How can healthcare organizations cope with these concerning trends and prepare for the future?
How to Overcome the Nurse Staffing Shortage
Big challenges require new partnerships. The Custom Group of Companies helps healthcare organizations overcome the challenges of these and other issues affecting the U.S. medical industry. We work with a variety of healthcare organizations to source, interview, and hire nurses to alleviate the current shortage. We help organizations by bringing our extensive networks of proactively sourced candidates to the table which helps supplement the efforts of your own hiring team. Call on us to find out how we can help you overcome the healthcare nursing shortage. Whether it’s temporary, permanent, or travel nurses, our team can meet your hiring needs.
