Growing the nursing workforce

The foundation of the healthcare system is its workforce, including the 2.8 million registered nurses (RNs) who provide healthcare services in countless settings. Their importance is expected to increase in the coming decades. Whether the nursing workforce will be ready to respond is unclear. At one time, the projection was a shortage of 500,000 to 1 million by 2020; however, this shortage has not materialized. Long-term forecasts predict strong per capita growth under certain scenarios, thanks to concerted efforts by government and private foundations to attract more men and women to nursing as a career. The economic recession also was a key contributor to retaining nurses, as many postponed retirement.