There are many reasons to love the nursing profession, and perhaps that is why so many nurses make it a lifelong career. While it may appear that nurses have a mindset of “once a nurse, always a nurse”, they too must retire at some point. It is no secret that there is national nursing shortage which impacts our local communities.  As the shortage continues to rise, the trend of an aging population in the U.S. coupled with the rate of nurse retirees will create numerous positions to fill.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), registered nurses make up the single largest health profession in the United States and were more than 30% of all hospital employment in 2019. Despite nurses accounting for such a large a portion of the health care industry, the demand for nurses is currently outpacing the supply of nurses available. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) estimates almost 2 million job openings for registered nurses between 2023 and 2033.

Why is this nursing shortage occurring?

There are several reasons. The first is the age of the current nursing workforce. According to a survey published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers (Forum) in 2021, 53% of the RN workforce is age 50 or older with more than 20% of nurse respondents planning to retire by 2025 (Smiley et al., 2021).

The changing demographics in the United States is also a factor for the nursing shortage.  The U.S. Census Bureau reported that there will be a higher population of individuals age 65 years and older (77.0 million) than individuals under the age of 18 (76.5 million) by 2034, meaning that one in five Americans will be a senior citizen (Vespa et al., 2020). As a result, there will be an increased need for geriatric care.

How does the nursing shortage affect you?

If you are considering nursing as a career, now is a great time to pursue your nursing education. With the demand continuing, more and more job opportunities may become available. The sooner you have your nursing license, the sooner you can start your nursing career! Already a Practical Nurse? Now may be an excellent time to continue your journey and advance to become an RN. Nurses from all levels are needed. No matter where you are in your nursing journey, now is the time to shine! Your community needs you!

To learn more about how you can become a nurse or how you can further your nursing education, check out our nursing programs at a campus near you!

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Registered nurses made up 30 percent of hospital employment in May 2019 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/registered-nurses-made-up-30-percent-of-hospital-employment-in-may-2019.htm 

Smiley, R. A., Ruttinger, C., Oliveira, C. M., Hudson, L. R., Allgeyer, R., Reneau, K. A., Silvestre, J. H., & Alexander, M. (2021). The 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/s2155-8256(21)00027-2

Vespa, Jonathan, Lauren Medina, and David M. Armstrong, “Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060,” Current Population Reports,  P25-1144, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2020.