The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice has urged that at least two-thirds of the basic nurse workforce hold baccalaureate or higher degrees in nursing by 2010. Currently, only about 40 percent do. Today's rising need for registered nurses does not appear to be a repeat of the widespread nursing shortage of a decade ago, when employers hired qualified entry-level RNs virtually regardless of their nursing degree preparation. Though hiring of RNs is accelerating in more cities, today's demand varies region by region, market by market , contrary to the pervasive nationwide shortfall of RNs in the late 1980s. Job commitments for new graduates show the climbing demand for RNs with advanced clinical skills .
Flexibility is the key .
All projections forecast accelerating demand for nursing care and for nurses with expanded education and skills. Still, the accelerating demand for RNs varies by region and market. As a result, flexibility will be key both for entering and moving within the profession. Some graduates may need to pursue employment in different parts of their home states, in another state, or even in another region where hiring in certain clinical settings or specialties may be more plentiful. In addition to practicing in clinics and hospitals in metropolitan areas, the nation's estimated 71,000 nurse practitioners also deliver care in rural sites, inner cities, and other locations not adequately served by physicians, as well as to other populations, such as children in schools and the elderly.