Expanding career opportunities for women and the declining interest in nursing as a career

Executive Summary The authors contend that it is crucial for policymakers and nurse leaders to develop strategies that can drive attempts to strengthen both the current and future professional nurse workforce. This study explores the various factors that have resulted in only half as many women selecting nursing as a career than 25 years ago. Because of the aging of the current nurse workforce and anticipated larger cohort retiring just as the baby boom generation enters Medicare age, shortages being experienced today in hospital specialty areas may well be precursors of more widespread shortages to come. Data examined for this study showed a drop of roughly 40% since 1973 in the percentage of college freshman who indicate that nursing was among their top career choices. The most prominent factor seems to be the concurrent expansion of opportunities for capable young women to enter formerly male-dominated professions such as medicine, law, and business.