As of the 1990 census, there were 77 million American boomers compared with just 44 million Generation Xers, creating the smallest pool of entry-level workers since the 1930s. Now employers must worry about finding enough good people for needed positions. This holds true in health care and specifically nursing. Health care organizations say it's both a demand and a supply shortage. Experienced nurses in key specialties are in short supply, but so are nurses in just about every arena.
Shortages are regional, but intense.
During the nation's economic slump, many people put off getting health care because of financial troubles or a lack of insurance. With the economy up, so is the demand. Without the new graduate pipeline, there are fewer nurses available to replace those who retire or leave for other opportunities. Currently, the ratio of RNs in their 40's to RNs in their 20's is four to one. Lower baccalaureate enrollment.