Exhibit 16 provides an overview of the major components of the Nursing Demand Model. The NDM links Census Bureau population projections with per capita healthcare use, and then incorporates the impact of trends in healtcare market conditions, economic conditions, patient acuity levels, and other factors to project future healthcare use by healthcare delivery setting. Trends that impact nurse staffing intensity are incorporated into the NDM. Combining projected healthcare use with projected nurse staffing levels produces projections of future demand for nurses.