How the Nurse Shortage Is Creating Career Opportunities in 2017

As the average nurse nears age 50 and roughly 10,000 baby boomers retire each day, demand is growing for skilled nurses. [1] Whether you are a student considering a nursing career or a working nurse hoping to advance your patient care expertise, now is an ideal time to begin.

To Put This in Context:

As the average nurse nears age 50 and roughly 10,000 baby boomers retire each day, demand is growing for skilled nurses. [1] Whether you are a student considering a nursing career or a working nurse hoping to advance your patient care expertise, now is an ideal time to begin. Many programs are available 100% online to prepare you for the nursing career you want.

Table of Contents

Nurses Are in Demand and in Short Supply.

In the health care industry, several factors are converging to create a shortage of skilled nurses and leading to understaffed health environments:

  • The average age of the nursing workforce is approaching 50, and many nurses will be retiring in the next decade.
  • Older nurses are reducing the number of hours they want to work.
  • Nurses are retiring faster than new graduates can enter the workforce.
  • Patient demand is increasing as the baby boomer population ages and anticipates longer lifespans. [1]

To prepare for this projected shortage, nursing homes and health care facilities are aiming to recruit and retain millennial nurses, second-career entrants, and other nursing professionals by offering development opportunities and paths to leadership. [1]

How can you take advantage of this nursing shortage? By earning an advanced degree from a regionally accredited university. Check out our list below to learn about today’s most in-demand nursing specializations and the degrees that can help you get there.

Focus Your RN Career with Specializations.

A nurse practitioner provides treatment to a young child as her mother looks on.

As health care organizations aim to offer high-quality patient care at a lower cost, nurses must assume greater responsibilities. Today’s patients are likely to spend more time with nurses than they are with doctors, and nurses have assumed central roles in many types of health care environments and specialties. [1]

Aspiring nurses and those pursuing advanced certification and education can align their passions and interests with a variety of opportunities, such as working in:

  • Hospitals
  • Ambulatory settings
  • Education
  • Information technology
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Work-from-home opportunities

Additionally, nurses can pursue broad concentrations based on interest. Here’s an overview of nursing paths that can align with your passion:

Nurse practitioner (NP)

Aside from diagnosing and treating health issues, a nurse practitioner also seeks to prevent diseases and manage patients’ health. These NPs also focus on providing general care, working in a specialty health area, or serving a certain demographic of patients, such as women, infants, or the elderly. [4]

Family Nurse Practitioner

A family nurse practitioner develops long-term relationships with patients, becoming an expert on their medical backgrounds to help them throughout their lives. [5] They diagnose illnesses, conduct exams, and prescribe medication.

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Maryville University Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More
  • Bradley University Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More
  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More
  • Duquesne University Online Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

A mental health nurse practitioner does many of the same things as a psychiatrist, including diagnosing mental illness and prescribing medication. If you have an interest in helping patients with depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, or other mental health conditions, a mental health nurse practitioner education might be the right path for you. [6]

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Maryville University Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More
  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

If you’re comfortable in an action-packed, fast-paced environment, an acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) path might be for you. ACNPs provide advanced nursing care to patients with acute or severe illnesses. Typically, an ACNP works in an emergency department, ambulatory care clinic, or other short-term stay facility, and is responsible for health care services that vary from minute to minute. [7]

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Clinical nurse specialists focus on diagnosing and treating specific illnesses or health care issues. These specialized nursing professionals typically work in one of three main areas:

  • Patients and families
  • Nurse management
  • Administration

Clinical nurse specialists have a high degree of leadership responsibility and are also trained to teach other nursing staff. [8]

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Prepare to Treat Aging Baby Boomers.

An adult-gerontology nurse practitioner cares for an elderly baby boomer patient.

The aging baby boomer population means more skilled nurses will be needed to care for the growing elderly population dealing with a number of health issues. By 2030, this demographic group is projected to make up roughly 20% of the population. This growth is historic; in 2010, only 13% of the nation was age 65 and over, and in 1970, only 9.8% was at least 65. [11]

Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)

An adult nurse practitioner cares for adults, generally age 12 and over. ANPs help their patients with preventive care and manage acute and chronic health issues. [13] Here’s a look at specialty areas under this umbrella:

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)

These nurses meet an array of health care needs for older patients, such as evaluations, ongoing care, and preventive care. They work in health care environments like nursing homes, home health care, hospice facilities, and private practices. [14]

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Maryville University Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)

As the boomer generation ages, AGNPs will become increasingly critical. An AGNP focuses on delivering health care to patients into the later stages of life. [15] An adult-geriatric nurse practitioner treats elderly patients by diagnosing illnesses, conducting exams, prescribing medication, and assisting with other health care services.

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Provide In-Demand Patient Care to Women and Children.

A women’s health nurse practitioner reviews a sonogram with a pregnant patient at a prenatal examination.

There are various specialty areas for nurses to pursue if their interests lie with women’s needs or health care for younger generations. Whether you wish to assist in child delivery, ensure children grow into healthy adults, or provide female-focused health care, there is an in-demand career path for your nursing future.

Here are a few concentrations to consider:

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner:

Pediatric nurse practitioners focus on patients from infancy into their adolescent years. This includes diagnosing illness, conducting exams, and prescribing medication. Work environments can include hospitals, outpatient facilities, or private practices. Some pediatric nurse practitioners run their own practices. [18]

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Maryville University Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More
  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

Women’s health nurse practitioners specialize in health care related to female patients, disease prevention, and managing chronic illnesses throughout the lifespan. Often these nurses focus on reproductive and gynecologic health care, including well-woman care and prenatal and postpartum care, among other needs. [19]

Featured Programs Offering This Concentration

  • Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing Learn More

Nurse-Midwifery

If you find yourself interested in helping new mothers and newborns, a career in nurse-midwifery may be for you. In addition to assisting with births, nurse-midwives often provide gynecological services, including preventive, reproductive, and peri- and postmenopausal health care. As of 2014, midwives have assisted with between 8% and 12% of births in the U.S., with most occurring at hospitals, but also including birthing centers and home deliveries. [20]

Fill the Need: Learn to Lead Patient Care

A nursing student uses several books and a laptop to complete coursework for her online MSN degree in the park.

Studies predict there could be 1 million to 3.1 million openings for younger nurses to step into leadership positions by 2025. [1] To fill the need for advanced and leadership-based nursing careers, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can be a great place to start.

Today’s MSN programs are highly specialized, and many are delivered on an flexible, online platform. [21] In an MSN program, nurses can study a range of specialties, including:

  • Advanced nursing practice
  • Management
  • Research
  • Social and physical sciences
  • Nursing informatics

As demand for nurses grows, MSN programs can provide advanced skills that lead to a variety of health care specialties and environments that can offer higher salaries. MSNs can also impart the foundational knowledge required to seek a Ph.D. and qualify for careers in academia.

Featured Online Nursing Degrees:

Maryville University Online Master of Science in Nursing

With five specialization options and 100% online coursework, our CCNE-accredited MSN degree takes nursing education to an exceptional level.
Learn More

Duquesne University Online Master of Science in Nursing

The online MSN program at Duquesne University offers 3 concentrations in Family Nurse Practitioner, Forensic Nursing, and Nursing Education and Faculty Role.
Learn More

Bradley University Online Master of Science in Nursing

Bradley University’s CCNE-accredited online MSN and MSN-FNP program are designed to equip you with a distinct foundation of advanced nursing.
Learn More

University of Arizona Online Master of Science in Nursing

The UA online MS in Nursing Clinical Systems Leadership (MSN) is a streamlined program designed to strengthen your patient care and leadership abilities.
Learn More

Norwich University Online Master of Science in Nursing

Specialize in Education or Administration; apply newly acquired skills in real time and drive positive change within your organization well before you graduate.
Learn More

Regis College Online Master of Science in Nursing

Regis College offers 5 specialization options 100% online; FNP, PNP, PMHNP, WHNP, AGNP. Get started at any level: ADN to MSN, BS to MS, or BSN to MSN.
Learn More

Develop Your Nursing Future.

Want to learn all the ways you can distinguish your nursing future? Read our analysis of the diverse pathways and career advancement opportunities for registered RNs, along with the demographic groups and organizations in need of nurses to help prevent modern health risks.

Context

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