The United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage as the need for health care services continues to grow. It is projected that the nursing shortage could be nearly 500,000 by 2025 with a 40 percent RN vacancy rate across the nation (Buerhaus, 2008). Some of the reasons for this projected shortage include the following:  The demand for health care services will increase as the baby boomer population ages. The average age of those nurses in current practice is 46.2 years old, with anticipated retirement in the near future. The anticipated reforms in the health care system will provide increased access to health care and the need for more health care providers.