Monday, December 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Nursing Shortage Causes Concern About The Future Of Healthcare
America is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to get worse as baby boomers age and the need for health care increases. Complicating the nursing shortage problem is the fact that nursing schools and universities across the country are having difficulty maintaining enrollment levels that still are not sufficient to meet the projected demand for nursing care.
Based on a recent survey, it is common knowledge that there is a nursing shortage and this is viewed as a serious issue. The study revealed that 75% of Americans think that the nursing shortage is a very real and very important health care concern. The general view is that the nursing shortage will have a negative effect on health care services. The poll indicates that 81 percent of the population is acutely aware of the nursing shortage and fully 65 percent believe that the nursing shortage is nearing crisis levels.
The survey also found that, despite the nursing shortage most Americans are confident that nurses' opinions on medical issues are highly credible and that the nursing profession is generally respected and admired. Because of the nursing shortage there are many more nursing positions available than can be filled. This is despite the fact that average nurse salaries match up quite well with other professions.
Many potential solutions, such as travel nursing, are being developed to address the current nursing shortage.
The position of travel nurse was created more than 20 years ago in order to address shortfalls in staffing in states that experienced dramatic swings in seasonal population. Now, being a travel nurse is regarded as operating in a specialized nursing category and has become a crucial factor in potential solutions to the worsening nursing shortage.
Becoming a travel nurse opens the door to a world of possibilities. Agencies that specialize in travel nurse placement will help you locate a variety of travel nurse positions in areas of the U.S in which you have an interest. A travel nurse assignment will normally last for about 90 days but may continue for up to six months. After selecting the region or state you then must decide which travel nurse position you will accept. It is entirely up to you which type of program and which type of medical facility you will join on your travel nurse adventure.
The compensation for a travel nurse is well above average and is attracting more nurses into the travel nurse profession. The salary or a travel nurse is well above the norm. What's more, the travel nurse package may include complimentary housing. Plus, travel expenses may also be covered. A travel nurse will also receive generous benefits such as health insurance or a retirement plan, if they are working with a good travel nurse agency
Most travel nurse assignments provide a substantial bonus upon completion of atour. The collective compensation for a travel nurse is far greater than permanent, local nursing positions. In many cases being a travel nurse can result in a six figure annual income.
Considering the severe nursing shortage, a qualified nurse can fill a crucial need and be handsomely compensated for it.
J. Terrence McDermott is the administrator of Travel Nurse Source, at http://www.travelnursesource.com, a resource center for the travel nurse industry. Travel Nurse Source helps identify medical staffing needs and find qualified nurses to meet those needs.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Nursing - A Growing and Progressing Profession in the Healthcare Industry
The United States is experiencing an alarming shortage of licensed and trained nurses that can fill critical positions in the healthcare industry. As a result of this shortage, nurses who are working in hospitals can be seen taking on a variety of roles, from assessing heart attack victims in emergency rooms to providing education and skills training to nursing and medical staff.
The Roles of Nurses Today
Nurses today go beyond providing traditional bedside care to the ill and wounded. They are also patients' advocates as well as responsible for ensuring that patients receive high quality care. Although providing treatment of patients remain in the domain of doctors, nurses have been taken to task that patients do receive the necessary treatments as prescribed by physicians.
Nurses have taken on so many different and varied roles in the healthcare industry that they are no longer limited to working in hospitals. Nurses today have many options and avenues to practice their profession. They can now be in the military, assume positions in health insurance or public relations companies, work as school nurses, start their own healthcare provider business, teach and become nurse educators, provide their services as home health nurses, work for the government and become public health nurses, become freelance writers writing about the medical and healthcare industry, and more.
Nursing Programs
Those who want to enter the nursing field often start out in an entry-level training program. Becoming a registered nurse takes two years in an associate degree program. In this program, nurses are taught essential information and trained so they develop the skills that are needed for them to safely practice nursing.
The bachelor of science in nursing degree (BSN) takes four years. In this program, nurses are taught a more extensive range of information and skills related to healthcare. Because this four-year degree program is much more comprehensive than the associate degree, many nurses who have completed the two-year associate degree in nursing decide to pursue a BSN. Another reason many choose to work for a BSN is that a lot of the healthcare institutions in the country would only hire nurses who have a BSN.
The master of science in nursing degree (MSN) is often taken by nurses who have been in the nursing profession for some time. Nurses who work for an MSN degree are often those who are thinking of practicing more autonomously or assuming bigger or higher responsibilities. Nurses who have an MSN degree include nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and nurse administrators. You can find out more about nursing and nursing vacancies at http://www.vacancyfornurses.com
And lastly, nurses can also pursue a PhD. Nurses with a doctorate degree can be prepared in nearly any discipline.
What Entry-Level Graduate Nurses Can Expect
An entry-level graduate nurse typically receives a six-week orientation in the specific area of the hospital where she works. She works under a graduate license until such time that she passes the board and receives a full RN license. After the orientation, the nurse is evaluated in terms of skills performance. The nurse is assessed and interventions made with regard to the nurse's autonomy level. Once the evaluation is done, a nurse can look into additional training in other nursing fields or aspects of healthcare.
Anyone who is considering to build a career in the healthcare industry should look into nursing, as it is one field that is continuously growing and progressing.
Article by Dean Forster at http://www.vacancyfornurses.com . Learn about nursing and nursing job vacancies all over the world at => Vacancies For Nurses Online