Further, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 expanded Medicare reimbursement to nurse practitioners. Dr. Mundinger was asked about the current nursing shortage and if the training of nurse practitioners was in any way harmful to the continued supply of nursing graduates. Once we can solve that, we'll be better able to recruit. Salaries have risen from the abysmal to mediocre, so we need to do better. In many ways, the job of nursing is very tough, some might say onerous.
Inpatients are sicker, but there's great emphasis on a shorter length of stay.
Coupled with some decline in nursing school enrollment is the aging of the faculty across the country.