In her years involved in this profession, Martin recalls at no time a difficulty in nurses finding a job. With news changing from layoffs to shortages, more students are choosing nursing. The Vanderbilt study reports women constitute 90 percent of registered nurses. As women turn to other newly opened career paths, recruiting men to nursing may help turn around the shortage. Career alternatives increase the attractiveness of the profession.
Hospital administrators are acutely aware of the nursing pool limitations.
Together, under the auspices of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, a task force is beginning some important work. Chief nursing officers and human resources personnel from member facilities, along with representatives from local education institutions, have joined forces to evaluate the demographics of the shortage and develop and implement a plan to revitalize the profession. In years past, they collectively tackled the physical therapist shortage in a similar fashion. Association collaboration also resulted in developing the first master's level physical therapy program in Ohio through Andrews University, as a way to graduate new practitioners. Krella echoes the national findings as the cause of the nursing shortage.