|
|
Aging Work Force Could Worsen
Nursing Shortage
Survey Urges More Training to Fill Demand
Sheri Hall, The Detroit News
October 6, 2004
Brandy Baker / The Detroit News
Antenatal nurse Henny Keyser, 52, checks Kimberly Hatfield's vital signs in the Mother and Baby unit at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac. The average age of nurses at the hospital is over 45.
Michigan's nursing work force is aging, a trend that could exacerbate the state's shortage of nurses in the next decade, according a survey being released today by the Michigan Center for Nursing.
A third of the state's 110,000 active nurses say they plan to retire within 10 years, the survey shows.
"We will have a significant shortage if we don't change things," said Anne Rosewarne, president of the Michigan Health Council, which conducted the survey. "But we have a great bell ringing right now saying we need to change things. We need to train more nurses."
The lack of nurses is a nationwide problem that has troubled the health care system for years.
Demand for nursing is increasing as the American population gets older.
At the same time, nursing schools don't have the capacity to train enough nurses to meet the demands of the health care system.
In the late 1990s, the nursing shortfall led hospitals to launch recruiting efforts for new nurses. In response, thousands of baby boomers in their fifties turned to nursing as a second career. But the surge of older nurses is only temporarily helpful because they will retire at the same time hospitals need more nurses to care for an aging population.
The federal government now predicts the nation could face a shortfall of 500,000 nurses by 2015. This could put even more strain on nurses, who are coping with lower staffing levels and longer hours at some hospitals.
In Michigan, 17 percent of working registered nurses are older than 55, compared to 14 percent in 1992. And 24 percent of working, licensed practical nurses are older than 55, compared to 14 percent in 1992. Metro Detroit hospitals report trends that mirror the statewide survey.
The average age of nurses at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac is over 45, said Barb Hertzler, the hospital's chief operating officer. The hospital is working with nursing schools to recruit new, younger workers. And it's trying to keep older, experienced nurses caring for patients.
"We need to be supportive of the older worker," Hertzler said. "So we make sure we have things like mechanical lifts and people like nurse aides to help with the heavy work so our more experienced nurses can do more critical thinking."
Henry Ford Health System also anticipates a worsening nursing shortage in the coming years. The hospital system already is looking to hire more than 200 nurses to fill open positions. That includes about 75 new nurses needed by the health system to staff new beds at its flagship, Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
To cope, Henry Ford is recruiting nurses from the Philippines through a contract company. And officials have joined with area nursing schools to recruit new, young nurses.
"(The shortage) is a major problem that every hospital deals with," said Connie Cronin, Henry Ford's chief nursing officer. "It requires creative solutions, and that's what we're working toward."
In recent years, some universities in Michigan have expanded their nursing programs to help meet the increased demand.
It's these types of creative solutions that will help stave off a crisis in the future, said Rosewarne, the Michigan Health Council exec.
"We're coming into a really scary time about who's going to take care of us," she said. "But it's also a huge opportunity for job growth. If anyone is looking for a job that can't be outsourced, this is it."
Nursing demographics
- Two percent of Michigan nurses are unemployed and seeking a job.
- 17 percent of the state's 90,000 working registered nurses are older than 55, compared to 14 percent in 1992.
- 24 percent of the state's 20,000 working licensed practical nurses are older than 55, compared to 14 percent in 1992.
- More than a third of Michigan nurses plan to retire within 10 years.
Source: Michigan Center for Nursing 2004 survey of licensed nurses.
*Comment on this story
*Send this story to a friend
*Get Home Delivery
Linda Long, 47, talks with fellow nurse Efren Cruz, 41,
about a patient at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac.
|
|
