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Nurses are an important part of the medical workforce. They provide crucial supplementary services and are primary caregivers in a lot of industries. As such, the demand for nurses is high, though there are variations according to different states. As the country’s population and access to medicine continues to grow, the demand for nurses does as well.
To learn more about the demand of nurses in the U.S., take a look at the infographic below created by Adventist University of Health Sciences Online RN to BSN program
The Overall Demand
Currently, it is projected that over one million nurses will be needed in the future. The RN workforce demand of 2.71 million in 2012 is projected to increase by as much as nineteen percent, to 3.24 million in the next ten years. While the demand grows, however, the supply does as well, though not nearly as quickly as is needed. The projected supply growth in that same period of time is only estimated at six percent, which means that there will be a very large shortage of nurses in the future. With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act being passed, more than thirty-two Americans will have access to a wide variety of healthcare services. This means that more medical professionals will be needed to help manage this demand, including both: registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses.
Top States With Demand for Nurses
The top ten states that have a very large demand for nurses are, in order: California, Florida, Texas, Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Georgia, Arkansas, Nevada, and Wyoming. All of these locations are defined by the tremendous percentages of their populations that are over the age of fifty. A substantial part of the population of each state is also over the ages of sixty, seventy, and eighty. The projected population that will be over the age of sixty in 2030 for these states is also large, expressed in percentages that range from nineteen to upwards of thirty-two. Medical professionals will be needed to help provide care for the elderly, ensuring that they have everything they need, such as medication and medical equipment. As more and more people are expected to need medical help, the demand for nurses continues to grow, while the supply is unable to keep up.
Nursing Outlook by State
Each individual state experiences its own hardships in regards to nursing care. The need for nurses becomes desperate as each state’s population grows, resulting in larger populations in lower income areas, ultimately contributing to densely packed urban sectors.
California’s job openings for registered nurses increases by nine to ten thousand every year. There are 227 nursing schools in the state, with a twenty four percent job opening increase, and a projected shortage of 193,000 nurses in 2030.
Florida’s job openings increase by six to seven thousand every year. The state has 144 active nursing schools, with the highest shortage ratio in all states at 36.3 percent.
Texas features 124 nursing schools, with a sixty two percent increase in job openings from 2012 to 2013. A projected 109,779 jobs will become available for nurses in the year 2030.
Alaska is a large state with a relatively small population. The state’s job openings for registered nurses increases by 190 to 270 every year. There are only two active nursing schools in the region, and they rely very heavily on out of state nurses.
Arizona’s job openings increase by over two thousand every year, with thirty-three nursing schools available for study and a large shortage expected for 2030.
New Mexico features the second highest demand ratio increase of all of the states. 520 to 540 nursing job openings appear every year, while the state features twenty-two nursing schools for prospective professionals.
Georgia’s job openings increase by two to three thousand every year, with sixty-four nursing schools available for general study.
Arkansas experiences a similarly large increase in job openings for nurses, with seven hundred and ninety every year. The state has thirty-five different nursing schools.
Nevada’s available job openings for nurses increases by six hundred and ten every year, with thirteen nursing schools available for interested students.
Wyoming’s job openings increase at a relatively lower rate of one hundred and eighty every year. Only eight nursing schools are available in the state.
The average salary for most registered nurses in these states is substantial. It ranges from figures as low as fifty seven thousand dollars in Arkansas to upwards of eighty five thousand dollars in California. As the demand for professional nurses continues to grow, experts believe that there will be national repercussions if the supply of RNs does not rise to meet the growing demand.