2008 Woodie Awards
LCCC doing its part in reducing shortage of nurses
Richard Pietrick
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News
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There's a group of students who hang out in the Health Science building wearing colorful clothes and rubber gloves, taking labs about anatomy while learning about saving lives.
These students, who walk the campus in colorful scrubs, are being trained to fill an important need in American health care.
According to the Association of Colleges of Nursing, the United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and health care grows.
The shortage affects patients in hospitals as well as people in extended care facilities.
As aging nurses begin to retire and the health care system expands, the shortage increases, reducing the quality of the American heath care system.
Health Affairs magazine's Dr. David I. Auerbach estimates that the shortage of U.S. registered nurses will increase to 340,000 by the year 2020.
According to the American Hospital Association, U.S. hospitals now need approximately 118,000 Registered Nurses (RN) to fill nationwide vacancies.
A 2004 national survey of doctors and RN's revealed that the majority of RN's (82 percent) and doctors (81 percent) perceived a nursing shortage where they work. Fewer nurses on duty means less time available to spend with patients.
Along with making the job harder for the nurses and doctors who are working, a study has found the shortage is reducing the quality of care some patients are receiving.
A March 2006 issue of Nursing Economics determined that the RN shortage is negatively impacting patient care and undermining quality of care goals set by the Institute of Medicine and the National Quality Forum.
LCCC is doing its part in reducing the shortage by producing qualified and talented nurses to fill positions within the job field.
Over 600 nurses are enrolled in nursing programs on campus with educational opportunities ranging from nurses aid all the way up to a masters degree in nursing.
These students, who walk the campus in colorful scrubs, are being trained to fill an important need in American health care.
According to the Association of Colleges of Nursing, the United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and health care grows.
The shortage affects patients in hospitals as well as people in extended care facilities.
As aging nurses begin to retire and the health care system expands, the shortage increases, reducing the quality of the American heath care system.
Health Affairs magazine's Dr. David I. Auerbach estimates that the shortage of U.S. registered nurses will increase to 340,000 by the year 2020.
According to the American Hospital Association, U.S. hospitals now need approximately 118,000 Registered Nurses (RN) to fill nationwide vacancies.
A 2004 national survey of doctors and RN's revealed that the majority of RN's (82 percent) and doctors (81 percent) perceived a nursing shortage where they work. Fewer nurses on duty means less time available to spend with patients.
Along with making the job harder for the nurses and doctors who are working, a study has found the shortage is reducing the quality of care some patients are receiving.
A March 2006 issue of Nursing Economics determined that the RN shortage is negatively impacting patient care and undermining quality of care goals set by the Institute of Medicine and the National Quality Forum.
LCCC is doing its part in reducing the shortage by producing qualified and talented nurses to fill positions within the job field.
Over 600 nurses are enrolled in nursing programs on campus with educational opportunities ranging from nurses aid all the way up to a masters degree in nursing.
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