New Research Calls for Optimism in Reducing the Shortage of Nurses

Health economists at RAND Health in Boston have been tracking the statistics on the nursing workforce in the United States for 35 years. While previous studies had all pointed to a looming severe shortage of nurses, these latest findings call for optimism!
The study published in the latest isssue of 'Health Affairs' appears to have surprised even the researchers themselves. The swing has evidently resulted from a number of factors that have thankfully drawn more young adults to the profession.

"...the number of people 23 to 26 years of age entering nursing increased by 62% from 2002 to 2009."

Click on the post title for the RAND press release, or the 'Health Affairs' link to purchase the full text report. This story is also discussed in Medscape: "Record Numbers Entering Nursing, But Gaps Remain" by Troy Brown [ Medscape Medical News Today, December 5, 2011 ]