Becoming A Nurse For A Nursing Occupation From The Bureau Of Labor Statistics

Peter Crosta M.A (2014) says that nursing is a healthcare profession focused on caring for the service user and their families giving the best possible quality of care to a service user no matter their condition until death. It will allow the service user to recover from illness, control their illness or reach an optimal status of health that they can control. Hunt et al (1994) suggests that the profession of a nurse would place great importance on nurse training and states that a nurse cannot be competent at something unless they have specific training on an area.

Current literature continues to reiterate the indicators of a major shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States. The total RN population has been increasing since 1980, which means that we have more RNs in this country than ever before (Nursing Shortage). Even though the RN population is increasing, it is growing at a much slower rate then when compared to the rate of growth of the U.S. population (Nursing Shortage). We are seeing less skilled nurses “at a time of an increasingly aging population with complex care

Multiple studies have linked professionalism with high amounts of education (Blaney 1986, Jacobs and Bishop 1998, Hess 1996). Other professions such as lawyers, physicians, architects, etc. maintain a high-standardized level of education in which nursing fails to do so. The American Nurse Association (ANA) committee published a position paper that compared nursing to other professions and recommended that the ADN is not sufficient for this profession (Jacobs and Bishop 1998). Jacobs and Bishop (1998) made a point by stating that “the education of professional nurses must take place in institutions of higher learning with a bachelor of science in nursing degree required for beginning professional practice as they should be socialized with philosophic and value system that is compatible with this role” (p. 226). Nursing is an evolving profession where they must be able to utilize their critical thinking skills in order to “assess, diagnose, intervene, evaluate, be a leader, deliver evidence-based care and know how to research and interpret that evidence. These competencies are only achievable through higher education with the baccalaureate level being the launching point” (Tollick, 2013, p. 4).

Professional nursing practice has been developing for several centuries. Nursing as a profession can be traced back to the early Christian era. Since then the perception of nursing practice has changed significantly. “Nursing is caring, commitment, and dedication to meeting the functional health needs of all people” (Craven &

In 2000, it was estimated that there were 110,000 open nursing positions, by 2025, it is projected that the open nursing positions will grow to 260,000. The shortage is due to many aspects including, rising population, decreasing of new students in nursing school, decline in nursing earnings compared to other growing occupational fields, aging of nursing workforce and the aging population that will need health care services in the near future. A survey found that 55% of registered nurses intend to retire between 2011 and 2015. This is primarily the

According to Canadian Nurses Association(2009), human health resources have stated that by the end of 2011 Canada will experience shortage of 78 000 registered Nurses (RN) and shortage of 113 000 nurses by the end of 2016. Globally there will be shortage of 4.3 million health care workers. It was also shown that approximately 38% of new graduate nurses leave their workforce within the first year of employment (Lavoie-Tremblay, Wright, Desforges, Gelinas, Drevniok & Marchionni, 2008). According to registered Nurses Association of Ontario (2011), full time positions of RN dropped to 57.9 % in 2010 from 58.9% in 2009. With the current trend it is expected that the Canadian Nursing shortage will increase significantly. In

Registered nurses are an integral part of the healthcare system, and make up the largest number of healthcare professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015) “The employment rate for registered nurses is expected to grow by 16% between 2014 and 2024”. This is more than double the average rate of growth for a profession. The rapid growth rate can be attributed in part to better management of chronic diseases and the baby boomer generation. The growth in the nursing profession is paramount, however the demographics of the nursing population does not mirror the demographics of the population served.

As of 2008, there were about 753,600 Licensed Practical Nurses and 2,618,700 Registered Nurses in the United States (U.S. Department of Labor, 2010-11). In the year 2018, the LPN employment percentage is expected to rise 21% while the RN rate should be approximately 22% (U.S. Department of Labor, 2010-11). This may not seem that high, but it is, when one considers that the expected employment rate for a Dentist is only expected to be 16% (U.S Department of Labor, 2010-11). Nursing is a highly respected and sought after career because every person that enters this profession is able to make a difference and is needed by the general population for his/her skills and contributions to the medical field. When a person is contemplating entering

“United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast.” American Journal of Medical Quality. January 2012

The national shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) has helped generate formidable interest in the nursing profession among people entering the workforce and those pursuing a career change. According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in 2002, the national population is continuing to grow and age and medical services continue to advance, so the need for nurses will continue to increase. They report from 2000 to 2020 the predicted shortage of nurses is expected to grow to 29 percent, compared to a 6 percent shortage in 2000. With the projected supply, demand, and shortage of registered nurses and nursing salaries ever-increasing, the nursing profession can offer countless opportunities. But first one must

Nurses develop professional skills through a process called “Professionalization.” Ghadirian uses four factors to describe this; cognitive dimension, attitudinal dimension and psychomotor dimension. They then further describe the cognitive dimension as the “professional knowledge” a nurse must have (2014). Without knowledge of illness or the human body, a nurse can not practice professionally. Ghadirian then suggests that even with extensive professional knowledge, a nurse can not be professional without the ideals and ethics of a nurse, or the ability to provide care (2014). A nurse can not be professional without all the dimensions. A nurse must have the values of a nurse, knowledge of a nurse and the ability to provide care.

214) “The ACA and the need for APRNs, nurse faculty, and nurse researchers would have increased dramatically under any scenario.” (L R Cronenwett [RWJF Iniative on the Future of Nursing], 2010, table 1). “Not only must schools of nursing build their capacity to prepare more students. Nursing need to focus on fundamental improvements in the delivery of nursing care to improve patient safety and quality is key.” (IOM, 2010, p. 208)

“According to the IOM report, the nursing profession is the largest segment of the nation’s healthcare workforce. Nursing represents the largest sector of the health professions, with more than 3 million registered nurses in the United States.”

The nursing profession encompasses the largest employment in a hospital setting as well as providing most of the long-term care. Registered nurses are the primary providers of patient care and are one of the largest occupations in the United States with an average salary of $66,700 annually. The National Advisory on Nursing Education has recommended that two-thirds of the nurses receive at least a bachelor degree in nursing. (N.d. ), Nursing Fact Sheet, http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-fact-sheet

Merriam Webster defines a profession as “a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill” or “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.”