New survey: Nursing shortage 'a myth'

[Ricu]

The dynamics of the nursing shortage have changed and have followed economic trends. Just as the LVN was almost eliminated from acute practice so to are undergraduate RN's on their way out. One of the major problems is that health care reform which does not recognize the undergrad RN as a valued piece of the puzzle. IF you have the intestinal fortitude to take on grad school go after your advanced practice RN. The deep cuts in reimbursement that hospitals and doctors will have to accept over the next few years will mean tha hospital's have less money for training new grads. IF you are young enough I would suggest military service as a nurse at least you would get your experience in and come out a well seasoned nurse.

Hppy

Interesting points. Money is definitely the biggest motivating piece of the health care reform puzzle but I fear that actual care-related dollars will throw of all of the pie charts being used to forecast future health care costs. The office bound bean counters cannot factor in the living and ever changing bedside component which includes the "cost center related, nurse-based care."
Newly licensed nurses would definitely get broad-based experience through military service.