The nursing shortage is everyone's problem
following is an excerpt from an article in the JAAPA (Official Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants)
Unless we succeed in replenishing the supply of nurses and improving retention, the shortage is predicted to become so severe as to threaten the viability of our health care delivery systems. Our ability to respond to a bioterrorist attack or any mass casualty event will be paralyzed by not having enough nurses to function on the front lines. PAs who work predominantly in hospital settings know how serious the problem is becoming. Nurse shortages have come and gone in the 30-year history of the PA profession, but workforce experts predict that future deficits in the number of nurses will be unlike any we have experienced in the past. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2010, there will be a shortage of more than 1 million nurses. This shortage is affecting all specialties and health care settings, and it won't be remedied with recruitment campaigns and sign-on bonuses.
