By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: More Nursing Shortage Myth Building
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > More Nursing Shortage Myth Building
BusinessHealth ReformHospital Administration

More Nursing Shortage Myth Building

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: February 7, 2014 9:00 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

My piece on the nursing shortage myth received more than 100 comments when it was reposted on the Health Care Blog a year ago. My basic theme was as follows:

My piece on the nursing shortage myth received more than 100 comments when it was reposted on the Health Care Blog a year ago. My basic theme was as follows:

  • nursing shortage mythsThere’s a well-established narrative that there is a large and growing shortage of nurses
  • Evidence to the contrary –such as difficulty of new nursing graduates finding jobs– is dismissed by nursing shortage cheerleaders with two arguments: 1) experienced nurses come back into the workforce when there’s a recession, and 2) demand will explode over time as older nurses retire and baby boomers age
  • These arguments don’t hold much water and I am not particularly worried that the country will run short of nurses
  • Many of those predicting a looming nursing shortage have a vested interest in doing so because they are involved in the business of running nursing schools

It seems like I could re-write that blog post every year or so, because there always seems to be a new story acknowledging the current surplus of nurses but predicting a giant shortage in the future. I wrote a similar post a year earlier, for example.

Today I read another story about the so-called nursing shortage in HealthLeaders (New Nurses Report Tougher Job Market):

More Read

The Patient’s Checklist
Uninsured Rate Has Fallen, But May Soon Increase
Individuals’ Rights to Their Health Information: The Federales Awaken
Doctor, My Time is Just as Valuable as Your Time
Why Do Some States Spend More on Health Care?

“The economic recession may be to blame for a downturn in demand for newly licensed registered nurses, suggests a survey from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The lead author speculates, however, that demand will grow stronger as healthcare reform is implemented.”

The author – a professor of nursing – says the problem is the recession. Then she adds that older nurses are going to retire and the Affordable Care Act is going to boost opportunities. “The opportunities for nursing are going to be humongous,” she concludes.

As before, I have my doubts:

Workforce projections rarely take into account long-term technological change, but simply assume that nurses will be used as they are today. I’ve taken heat for writing that robots will replace a lot of nurse functions over time. People seem to be offended by that notion and have accused me of not having sufficient appreciation for the skills nurses bring.

So let me try a different tack. Think about some of the job categories where demand is being tempered by the availability of substitutes. Here are a few I have in mind that have similar levels of education to nurses:

  • Flight engineers. Remember when commercial jets, like the Boeing 727 used to fly with two pilots and a flight engineer? Those planes were replaced by 737s and 757s that use two member flight crews instead
  • Junior lawyers and paralegals. Legal discovery used to take up many billable hours for large cases. Now much of it is being automated
  • Actuaries. Insurance companies used to hire tons of them, but their work can be done much more efficiently with computers

I don’t hear visionary leaders of provider organizations banging the drum about a nursing shortage and clamoring for more grads. And if somehow I’m wrong and demand rises, the problem can be solved with a more welcoming immigration policy.

Like I wrote before, “If you want to be a nurse, go for it. But if you’re choosing nursing because you think it’s a path to guaranteed employment, think again.”

(ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock.com)

TAGGED:nursingnursing shortage
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Ending Pay-For-Delay Deals Could Raise over $5 Billion

November 9, 2011

Stand Out from the Crowd? Think Again

February 3, 2015

We Ask Physicians to Lower Cost, Then Penalize Their Innovation

February 10, 2014
Image Access - Healthin30 ID-10069354 Post Are Consumers at the Forefront of Digital Technology
BusinesseHealthFinanceSocial Media

Are Healthcare Consumers at the Forefront of Digital Health?

March 26, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?