Nursing Shortage?

[cougarnurse]

I know...another one. However, some food for thought: Nursing Shortage? | Northland's NewsCenter NBC 6, CBS 3, My 9, Northland CW, and Weather Plus for Duluth MN / Superior WI | Local News

For most healthcare workers, patient care is the most important responsibility, particularly when it comes to the nursing staff.

Nurses often work long hours seeing many patients all the while being expected to provide top notch care.

However, there are serious issues facing the profession.

An aging workforce has many assuming that there is a nursing shortage, but that may not be the case.

Judy LeBeda an RN says, "I believe it's a staffing shortage there are nurses available but the hospitals don't want to pay the over–time they would rather a more minimal amount of nurses because they have budgetary constraints and it seems like it ends on nursing."

It is forecasted that by 2020 there will be a nursing shortage.

It's not because hospitals won't hire new nurses but rather older nurses are going to retire.

Bernadine Engeldorf says "The large number of is probably in the baby boomer population where they will be retiring, we need to assure that we replace those nurses."

It's not just budget concerns and retirement that has these nurses worried.

Working in a high stress environment such as a hospital has many, particularly, younger nurses burning out and leaving their profession.

Nancy Carlson says "We see a lot of burnout we forget to take care of ourselves care of selves seems to fall along the wayside we're so busy taking care of the patient and families cause that's an important part of it too, burnout does occur often."

Despite the hardships many of these nurses say they love their profession and love helping others.

The Minnesota Nursing Association provides support for nurses and offers input on public policy.

The conference continues through Tuesday.

Discuss here: Discuss 'Nursing Shortage?' here