Survey: About One-Third of Hospitals Need Traveling Nurses to Function
SAN DIEGO - About one-third of hospital chief nursing officers (CNOs) say their hospitals could not function without the services of "traveling nurses," according to a new survey.
The survey examines how and why hospitals use traveling nurses, who typically work temporary assignments lasting from a few weeks to over a year. Thirty-one percent of CNOs surveyed said the statement "our hospital could not function without traveling nurses" was "very true." An additional 26 percent said the statement was at least "somewhat true."
Nursing Shortage Likely to Continue in Michigan
Ann Arbor - According to the Michigan Center for Nursing, Michigan, like many other states, faces a continuing nursing shortage. Some statistics:
Michigan could be short 7,000 nurses by 2010. The shortage could reach 18,000 by 2015.
There were 147,054 nurses licensed by the state of Michigan as of early 2006.
Texas Needs 138,000 New Nurses Over Next 7-10 Years
HOUSTON - Universal healthcare opponents routinely point to long delays in getting medical appointments in other countries because too many patients take advantage of the fact that the government picks up the tab.
But the same problem exists if there are too few physicians. Unless Texas gets a grip on its healthcare work-force shortages, that's where it is headed. Texas has about 43,000 physicians to treat 23 million people, ranking 45th in the nation in physicians per 100,000 residents, according to the Texas Medical Association.
Virginia Prognosis: 20,000 Nurses Short by 2015
RICHMOND - The anticipated shortage of nurses in Virginia - a deficit of up to 20,000 in the next eight years - is not, contrary to what one may think, due to a lack of people wanting to enter the profession. At Thomas Nelson Community College, two to three students apply for every open slot in its Nursing Department.
"We are having to turn students away," said Dr. Richard Fleming, vice president of academic affairs at Thomas Nelson. He says that his institution isn't unique; schools across the country are doing the same. "A lot of people want to be nurses."
Florida Needs 3,000 Registered Nurses - Now
St. Petersburg - The Florida Hospital Association estimates there are about 3,000 vacant registered nurse positions in hospitals around the state -- an 8.2% vacancy rate -- and says the shortage is going to get worse.
The demand for professionals has prompted a surge in applications from people wanting to become nurses. Schools, in turn, have scrambled to ramp up their nurse-training programs; the Legislature has even chipped in $10 million in the form of a grant program that pays schools up to $500,000 to fund programs to increase enrollment.
