As the world’s population swells and ages, its need for physicians, registered nurses, dentists and long-term care professionals will continue to grow. And according to a report published by the Nursing Economics Journal, “awaiting this increase in demand is a health care workforce in which many practitioners, particularly RNs and primary care physicians, have been projected to grow more slowly than in the past, possibly leading to shortages (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2010).”
In addition to population factors, demand for health care providers is expected to rise due to a bevy of new innovations as well as new diagnostic, treatment and monitoring technologies. The expansion of health insurance coverage to up to 32 million Americans under the Obamacare system will also be a significant factor in the near future.
And although the national nurse faculty vacancy rate sits at only 6.9 percent, as reported by the American Nurse’s Association, the percentage of nurse educators aged 50 or older has reached 60 percent. As the baby boomers retire, the nursing industry may be faced with a major dearth in employment.
But we’d like to hear what you think. Has enrollment in nursing programs at universities and colleges increased enough to manage the uptick in demand or will the nursing industry need to take measures to ramp up interest in nursing as a career?
While I am not an ER nurse, I am a registered nurse in Colorado who renectly graduated from nursing school. In order to be an ER nurse, you only have to be a registered nurse (RN). Depending on the state you live in, there are two ways to get your RN. You can go to a 2-year college, like a community college and get your RN, or you can go to a 4-year university to get your RN. You do not have to get a separate degree in children. The starting pay for a nurse is also dependent on where you live. In Colorado, a new graduate nurse makes between $21 and $23 per hour, and usually works 12 hour shifts, three days per week. There are also other certifications to consider getting before becoming an ER nurse. These include ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) and TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course). All of this will make more sense once you are in nursing school. I think it best to try to find a mentor at your local hospital who is an ER nurse and get advice from them. Good luck!!!
thanks so much for your comment. How about looking into wound care certifications such as CWC, WCC, or WOCN? Wound care RNs are in great demand.