The number of young people entering the nursing profession is surging, providing relief from a nationwide nursing shortage, according to an article published in Health Affairs.
For their study, researchers relied on more than thirty-five years of annual survey data from two Census Bureau surveys, the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey.
The researchers' analysis shows there were approximately 165,000 full-time equivalent RNs ages 23-26 in the workforce in 2009, representing a 62 percent increase since 2002. Researchers say if these nurses remain in the profession until they reach middle age, this could be the largest cohort of young nurses ever to enter the field, far surpassing those born in the 1950s.
The researchers also said several factors have contributed to the growing nursing workforce, including aggressive national recruitment campaigns as well as two-year associate degrees and accelerated nursing degrees.
For their study, researchers relied on more than thirty-five years of annual survey data from two Census Bureau surveys, the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey.
The researchers' analysis shows there were approximately 165,000 full-time equivalent RNs ages 23-26 in the workforce in 2009, representing a 62 percent increase since 2002. Researchers say if these nurses remain in the profession until they reach middle age, this could be the largest cohort of young nurses ever to enter the field, far surpassing those born in the 1950s.
The researchers also said several factors have contributed to the growing nursing workforce, including aggressive national recruitment campaigns as well as two-year associate degrees and accelerated nursing degrees.
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