Capitalizing on the recession's effect on hospital RN shortages

Nursing shortages ease during periods of economic recession, but economic factors alone do not account for nurses' decisions to accept employment. Also, financial pressure on hospitals resulted in shorter hospital stays for more seriously ill patients who require more nursing services. Registered nurses fear that employment of unlicensed nurses to save money may lower standards and morale. Nurse executives should plan to create a supportive environment to retain registered nurses and attract qualified persons to the field.
Summary The recent economic recession and slow-paced recovery have contributed to dampening out the shortage of hospital-employed registered nurses (RNs), a shortage that has persisted since the mid-1980s. While national [...]