Funny that I came across this post. 5 years later, we have this: WUSA9.com | Washington, DC | Virginia Nursing Shortage May Be Less Than Expected
Virginia's nursing shortage over the next decade may not be as bad as anticipated, according to a state study.
The Virginia Department of Health Professions recently released a study showing many registered nurses in Virginia plan to remain in the profession longer than anticipated because of the economic downturn.
A shortage of between 10,000 and 12,000 registered nurses is expected in the next 10 years, said department Director Sandra Whitley Ryals. But that's down from a 2007 state report that predicted a shortage of 22,600 nurses.
The recession has forced many registered nurses to delay retirement, others are re-entering the work force and the number of nursing graduates has dramatically increased over the past four years, Ryals said.
About 53,000 registered nurses responded to a voluntary survey conducted in 2007 and 2008 by the department's Healthcare Workforce Data Center. Nearly half of the respondents said they plan to leave the nursing profession in the next 10 years.
The majority of those surveyed worked in a clinical role in a hospital.
Because of the data's findings, "Virginia will be in a better position to address healthcare workforce trends and meet the needs of an aging population by understanding the characteristics and work behaviors of practitioners," Ryals said.
According to the Virginia Employment Commission, one in 10 emerging jobs is in the health sector.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said the state has increased access to nurse training programs and made salaries more competitive, resulting in 900 additional nursing graduates since 2006.
"In the last few years, Virginia has made smart, strategic investments to develop our healthcare workforce and we are seeing tremendous results," Kaine said. "These efforts will not only help to meet the healthcare needs of millions of Virginians, but give people the opportunity to secure a good job in a growing field."
