BUSH
ADMINISTRATION PROMOTES CAREERS IN NURSING
Survey Shows Critical Shortage of Nurses
With new evidence
of a growing shortage of nurses, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson
and Education Secretary Rod Paige today launched a campaign
to encourage school children to consider careers in nursing
and the health professions.
Secretary Thompson
also released the final
report of the 2000 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses,
which shows that the average age of the nations RNs
continues to increase and the rate of nurses entering the
profession has slowed over the past four years.
We
have a severe nursing shortage in this country and it's absolutely
critical that we encourage more of our nation's students to
choose careers in nursing, Secretary Thompson said.
Secretary Paige and I both want students to realize
that nursing is an exciting and satisfying career that makes
a difference in peoples lives. (Photo
at right: Education Secretary Rod Paige (l) and HHS Secretary Thompson discuss national nursing shortage.)
There is
a growing national need for nurses, and we look forward to
doing our part to address the shortage of qualified nurses
in this country, Secretary Paige said. By
making students in America's schools and postsecondary institutions
aware of careers in the health professions, particularly nursing,
we hope we can interest these outstanding young people in
filling the critical need for qualified nurses.
Secretary
Thompson unveiled Kids into Health Careers --
an education campaign to attract more childrens interest
in careers in nursing and the health professions -- during
a visit to Jefferson Junior High School in Washington, D.C.
(Photo
shows student asking question of the two secretaries.)
Now, for
the first time, we are making available the kind of information
parents, teachers and organizations need to motivate and encourage
our nations promising young talent to pursue a career
in the health professions, Secretary Thompson said.
The
Kids into Health Careers tool kit has information
on more than 270 health careers, such as nurse, physical therapist,
x-ray technician, sports therapist and emergency medical technician.
The kit includes information on the level of education
preparation needed to pursue specific health careers, salary
outlook and resources on obtaining financial assistance to
pursue an education in the health professions.
There are hundreds
of health career opportunities available, and not all of them
require advanced college degrees.
Many are attainable through six-month certificate programs,
while others such as nursing may require a college degree.
Organizations that receive health professions grants
through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
will be required to reach out to schools in their local communities
to get more kids involved in the health professions.
HHS nursing
survey is the most extensive and comprehensive statistical
resource on registered nurses with current licenses to practice
in the United States.
When compared to the 1980 survey, the new 2000 survey
suggests that too few young people are choosing careers in
nursing, and the average age of registered nurses has increased
substantially. In
1980, 52.9 percent of RNs were under the age of 40, but by
2000, only 31.7 percent were under 40.
In 1980, 26 percent of RNs were under the age of 30,
but by 2000, less than 10 percent were under age 30.
The survey, conducted every four
years by HRSA, also found that:
·
the U.S. population increased by nearly 14 percent
between 1990 and 2000, but the rate of nurses entering the
workforce between 1996 and 2000 was just 4.1 percent, down
from more than 14 percent between 1992 and 1996;
·
there are an estimated 2,696,540 active, licensed
RNs in the United States, an increase of only 137,666 nurses
from 1996;
·
81.7 percent or 2,115,815 of active licensed
RNs are employed in nursing;
·
12.3 percent or 333,368 of all RNs reported
being from one or more racial or ethnic minority backgrounds;
·
5.9 percent of RNs employed in nursing are men,
up from 5.4 percent in 1996; and
·
the number of nurses working in hospitals increased
slightly from 1,270,870 in 1996 to 1,300,323 in 2000.
Early in his
tenure, Secretary
Thompson identified the nursing shortage as a critical national
priority. In
September, Secretary Thompson announced a new series of grants
and contracts totaling more than $27.4 million to increase
the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing
services across the country.
The awards will help ease the emerging shortage of
qualified nurses available to provide essential health care
services in many communities nationwide.
President Bushs fiscal year 2003 budget proposes a total of $15
million, nearly a 50 percent increase above last years
funding, to expand the Nursing Education Loan Repayment program
to help address the nations growing need for nursing
professionals. The
increase will support 800 new nursing education loan repayment
agreements. The
program repays a substantial portion of the education loans
of nurses who agree to work for two years in designated public
or nonprofit health facilities.
A funding preference is given to nurses who have the
greatest financial need and who agree to serve in health facilities
located in geographic areas with a shortage of nurses.
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