 Qualified registered nurses
(RNs) are in high demand. There is an increasing number of aging baby boomers that need medical care. But with a third of the aging nursing workforce preparing to retire, and not enough nurses to replace them, this means that predictions of a nursing shortage are coming true. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects a shortage of 213,500 registered nurses in 2010. By 2020, that number is expected to grow to a staggering 800,000 unfilled RN jobs. This escalating shortage is serious, but signals a great opportunity for you to pursue a promising career in the nursing sector of health care—and registered nurse careers are in demand. A nursing career enables you to help where help is greatly needed. The big demand can also translate into registered nursing jobs with enticing perks and attractive nursing salaries for skilled and qualified applicants.  If you want to become a registered nurse, get the nurse training you need to succeed in this exciting career. Registered Nurses Needed To Care for Largest Elderly Population in History A big factor in this nursing shortage is an aging baby boomer population, which requires more and more intensive health care services as the years go by. In fact, one of the fastest ways to put a nursing career into high gear is to work in areas that serve the elderly. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that sizzling nursing job growth is expected in stroke rehabilitation, Alzheimer's treatment and general elderly in-home care. Simple population increases in many states are also adding to the demand. Meanwhile, nursing school applicants are down. Plus, as medicine becomes more and more technologically advanced, the need for registered nurses with specialized knowledge will continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Good News for Registered Nurses with Specialty Training Higher Pay and Less Stress All this adds up to a huge opportunity for those who have considered becoming a registered nurse, and it doesn't have to mean the grueling hours typically associated with working in a hospital's emergency or critical care centers. In fact, nurses who specialize in travel nursing, in-home care, forensic nursing, and a wide range of technologically advanced specialties often enjoy greater career flexibility at a slower pace. To learn more popular nursing specialties, see Hot Careers in Nursing. According to the Department of Labor, a starting nurse can expect to earn between $30,000 and $45,000 a year, but salaries can ramp up into the mid-$70,000 range, especially for those with education and experience in advanced nursing specialties. On top of that, hospitals, in their endless quest for more nurses, are offering hefty signing bonuses of as much as $14,000. In addition to attractive salaries and flexible scheduling, benefit packages can include health insurance, vacation and holiday pay, tuition reimbursements, childcare and pension plans. When you put it all together, a nursing job might just be the healthiest career choice around.  Related Reading Sources
Health Work Force, 1999-2008
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008
Discover Nursing, 2007 |
 
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