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International Perspective on Nursing Shortage

Apr 9 2010 by Lisa Bonsall, MSN, RN, CRNP, CCRN

Christine Kessler, MSN, CRNP of Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. delivered the opening address at Nursing2010 Symposium in Las Vegas on April 6. In her presentation titled ""What Would Florence Do? Nursing Past, Present, and Future"", Kessler reported on experts' projections about the severity of the nursing shortage over the next ten to fifteen years. Kessler also warned that we should not assume that the nursing shortage is over because many markets that are experiencing a downturn in the economy have little to no vacancies. The global trend is that the aging nursing workforce will result in many practicing nurses and nursing faculty retiring at high rates. Kessler made optimistic suggestions for increasing numbers in the profession, and generated keen interest from a group of nurses traveling from Jordan who shared their story about the nursing shortage.

I met two of the nurses from Jordan at the reception that evening and asked them if I could share their strory in my blog. Randa, a doctoral nurse and Alia, a baccalaureate nurse, were eager to discuss how there is a shortage of female nurses in their country. They explained that not only are fewer women entering the workforce than men, but that the women often leave the profession when they marry and have children. A factor that compounds the problem is that in this predominently Muslim nation, there are religious traditions that dictate who can deliver care based on gender. Randa said that ""men an women are separate floors in the hospital"" and ""women only are permitted to care for other women and children"". Therefore, these nurses are very concerned about the quality of care of women and children. Randa and Alia are encouraged by the government's action of setting quotas in nursing schools that require admission of a higher percentage of females. Still they are seeking additional ideas from Nursing2010 Symposium to take back to Jordan and disseminate in papers and presentations.

Like these Jordanian nurses, nurse exectives, nurse educators, and government officials around the globe must collaborate to find realistic solutions to the nursing shortage. To learn more about the global nursing shortage, go to the International Council of Nurses website at www.inc.ch and the World Health Organization website at www.who.int.

By Karen Innocent, MS, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN

Comments

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Robbie Sangalli
May 8. 2014 13:05
Great stuff, I learned a few things I never knew Smile
8/7/2015 1:57:06 PM
Trish Sero
October 22. 2010 16:15
Nursing shortage refers to a situation where the demand for registered nurses is greater than the supply, as is currently the on going condition in the US and several other developed countries such as the UK, Austria, Norway Japan and Australia. As of 2009, medical facilities were in need of an additional 100,000 nurses. The US is seeking to hire nurses from different countries in hopes to relieve the epidemic national shortage. Also, the nursing shortage affects the developing countries that supply nurses through recruitment to work abroad in wealthier countries. This also affects the foreign nursing shortages, as well. Countries that send their nurses abroad experience a shortage and strain in their own countries, such as the Philippines and Africa.
One of the issues is not the number of people who are interested in the becoming a nurse, however it has to do with the lack of higher lever nursing such as Masters and Doctorate prepared nurses to teach on a college level. Nurses are becoming into nursing field later in life and therefore have fewer years to work in nursing. The average employed nurse is now over 47 years old.
Emotional support, education, encouragement and counseling are integral to the everyday nursing practice. These qualities in a hospital are not easily monetarily justified.
Another issue is the growing population projected due to the baby boomer population is expected to grow at least 18%. The 65 and older population is expected to increase three times the rate.
8/7/2015 1:56:49 PM
Trish Sero
October 22. 2010 11:08
Nursing shortage refers to a situation where the demand for registered nurses is greater than the supply, as is currently the on going condition in the US and several other developed countries such as the UK, Austria, Norway Japan and Australia. As of 2009, medical facilities were in need of an additional 100,000 nurses. The US is seeking to hire nurses from different countries in hopes to relieve the epidemic national shortage. Also, the nursing shortage affects the developing countries that supply nurses through recruitment to work abroad in wealthier countries. This also affects the foreign nursing shortages, as well. Countries that send their nurses abroad experience a shortage and strain in their own countries, such as the Philippines and Africa.
One of the issues is not the number of people who are interested in the becoming a nurse, however it has to do with the lack of higher lever nursing such as Masters and Doctorate prepared nurses to teach on a college level. Nurses are becoming into nursing field later in life and therefore have fewer years to work in nursing. The average employed nurse is now over 47 years old.
Emotional support, education, encouragement and counseling are integral to the everyday nursing practice. These qualities in a hospital are not easily monetarily justified.
Another issue is the growing population projected due to the baby boomer population is expected to grow at least 18%. The 65 and older population is expected to increase three times the rate.
8/7/2015 1:56:25 PM
Jeanne Schnell
October 22. 2010 01:30
It is a known fact that in good times nurses don't work, in bad times you see them flocking back to the workplace. Working in HR I have seen this cycle happen over and over again. Right now there is little evidence of a nursing shortage with new grads fighting for positions against nurses who have not worked for years re-entering the workplace. Once the ecomony recovers (hopefully soon)the nursing shortage will once again become evident as it was before the economic downturn.
8/7/2015 1:56:04 PM
Teri Sullivan
October 8. 2010 14:32
Interesting comments. Literature supports that we continually import nurses globally. For instance, we continue to import from the Phillipines. Most Phillipino nurses have their BSN..do you think their higher education credentials lend them to be more experiences? I do not think so. We need to train our new graduates and support the health care system in the U.S. We have the senior staff to precept them. Just a thought, I welcome your thoughts!
8/7/2015 1:55:46 PM
Holly Parness
October 8. 2010 01:08
I just did a search for job posts in the last 7 days for RN's in my area. The query resulted in 11+ pages. Obviously there is some type of need. However, while I did not look through all posts, the ones I did view requested applicants have a BSN AND experience. With hospitals making budget cuts of course they want experience, it's expensive to train. I am not a nurse yet, I've worked in corporate for the past 10 years. Mainly in HR. When cuts were made it could effect any department BUT one department that seemed always to get hit was training and development. It even happens in government. Look at California. They are reducing spending how? By making huge cuts in education. So, if there is a shortage it is of skilled nurses. I bet nursing managers would be happy to train but have probably been told "there is no money"! I hope they do find the money because experienced nurses don't just grow on trees and as demand increases with health care reform and and an aging population, not to mention a large group of older nurses retiring(who could have passed on their knowledge)....then what?
8/7/2015 1:55:05 PM
Jackie Crosslin
October 6. 2010 05:25
I agree that the "nursing shortage" is a myth. I believe it started as propanganda to relieve a predicted shortage when the baby boomer generation hits retirement. Some of that generation will turn 65 in 2011, retire and become eligible for Medicare (Institute for the Future, 2003). Will hospitals suddenly become inundated with patients with not enough nurses come January? Probably, but the cause will no doubt be related to flu season and not the so called "nursing shortage."

Hospital only have so many beds and nursing positions available. They cannot add beds unless there is State approval. Because of the economy, nurses are not retiring. Nursing schools have lists of students waiting to get in, and new grads are having difficulty finding jobs due to lack of openings. This is not the classic signs and symptoms of a "nursing shortage."

I think the real shortage lies in financial resources and not nurses. Lee (2003) states that the government has already reduced reimbursement to hospitals by 30% since 1980 (as cited in Unruth & Spetz, 2007). If the government continues to decrease reimbursement, can any hospital stay afloat through private payment? Not likely. The end result is reduction of services, cut backs in staffing and possibly closures. Instead of a nursing shortage, I foresee a nursing surplus.

Reference
Institute for the Future. (2003). Health & health care 2010: The forecast, the challenge (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossy-Bass.

Unruth, L. & Spetz, J. (2007). A primer on health economics. In D.J. Mason, J.K. Leavitt, & M.W. Chaffee (Eds.), Policy & politics in nursing and healthcare (5h ed.) (pp. 363 - 375). St Louis, MO: Sanders?Elsevier.
8/7/2015 1:54:41 PM
Colleen Krieger
October 3. 2010 10:31
"Nursing Shortage" is a myth. It is interesting to note governmental agencies and nursing organizations discussing the "nursing shortage" problem. However, their predictions are out-dated and are based on information gathered from past trending.

As a nurse educator at a small community hospital, I have witnessed the change in nursing job availability first-hand. The environment has changed along with the economic depression. There are many nurses that I know who planned to retire, but have not due to financial reasons. These are the aging nurses that the statistics would have shown as a vacancy.

As a new grad instructor, I have watched desperate new grad nurses trying to get any job. Since our hospital hires from within first, these new grads will try to be hired for any entry-level position. However, they are now over-qualified for entry-level jobs. Some have graduated 2 years ago and are still unable to find a nursing job. One new grad stated that they applied for a position and were told that 1,200 nurses had applied.

After a quick internet search, I was amazed at the abundance of desperate comments regarding new grads unable to find jobs all over the United States. Even though they were from other states, they made the same observations that I have witnessed here in California. Hospitals are not hiring as many new grads, hiring from within, and choosing BSN graduates.
8/7/2015 1:53:37 PM
Teri Sullivan
October 3. 2010 02:45
While developing a multi cultural workplace, some nurses may be recruited to the U.S. from other countries. Many may come from low income families abroad. However, if the US recruits from abroad, they may be depleting nurses from another country while experiencing this global shortage.What is interesting regarding the global shortage is the recognition of the shortage. However, there is no agreement on educational preparation of the entry level nurse. What are your thoughts about hiring only baccalaureate trained nurses during this percieved shortage?? Teri
8/7/2015 1:53:06 PM
Teri Sullivan
September 28. 2010 01:35
The nursing shortage always intrigues me. The global issues are worldwide. Nurses need to incorporate a global perspective in their practice. I stand corrected from my above post .I would like to re phrase "in what way globalization is impacting the educational expectations for all nurses"? How does this impact the nursing shortage globally? HIV and other disease is not border controlled. Nurses need to embrace a global vision and nursing schools world wide need to build in their curriculum a global perspective. Thank you in advance for reading my blog. Teri
8/7/2015 1:52:38 PM
Sam Diz
February 20. 2010 10:33
I am not sure that I believe in "nursing shortage" any more, based on personal experience. I graduated almost a year ago Magna Cum Launde, passed NCLEX, and have been applying for an entery job position, although I have more than 5 years of experience working as an RN in Europe, and the skills and the knowledge of the Laboratory practices, which is what many nurses are lacking - personal observation. So far I have gotten just computer generated thank you notes and rejections, because "they have found more qualified applicants". Maybe in a few years when older generation nurses are retiring, new grads will be given attention which they deserve. However, by then many will say "forget about Nursing" and take a different direction.
So much about "nursing shortage"
8/7/2015 1:52:08 PM

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