For some hospitals, filling their shortage of nursing
positions requires a new approach to conventional hiring and communicating with
potential hires. Hospitals in Pennsylvania are turning to social sites to help
find qualified RNs where the right kind of message and timely posting can be
shared hundreds or thousands of times with a simple click of the mouse to large
networks. After all, who has better access to plenty of qualified nurses better
than the nurses themselves? St. Luke’s Miners Campus posted on Facebook to
promote an RN open house, while Hazleton General Hospital used Twitter to let
people know they have openings for RNs. Leigh Ann Wiedlich, community relations
coordinator for the Greater Hazelton Health Alliance explains “Social media is
a way to attract young professionals." This search for qualified RNs is
partly in response to the reported current or impending nursing shortage for
the U.S. Some areas may be hit by a shortage more than others, as one doctor
shares “The nursing shortage is far from over." Dr. Mary Ann Merrigan
explained, associate dean at the School of Nursing at Wilkes University,
Wilkes-Barre. "The United States projected a shortage of registered nurses
that will intensify as the baby boomers age."
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, employment for registered nurses will grow 26 percent from 2010 to
2020 - a rate that is faster than the average for all occupations. Merrigan
agrees with the agency's outlook, saying that the need for more nurses has
affected the enrollment at her school and across the United States. "There
will be a shortage of a quarter of a million nurses in the next 10 years. This
is the greatest nursing shortage since the 1960s." Some companies take a
proactive approach to hiring and staffing, preparing for demand before it hits.
They do this by working closely with nursing schools at colleges and adjusting
their staff based on predicted demand. However, this isn’t a guaranteed
solution and finding the right nurse for the job can take some extra incentivizing.
The shortage also could affect how many students can enroll in nursing programs
because of a lack of faculty to teach the courses. The American Association of
Colleges of Nursing studied this last year and identified 1,181 faculty
vacancies across 662 nursing schools with baccalaureate and/or graduate
programs in the United States. This could have a major impact on the number of
future nurses available to fill positions left open by retiring nurses. If
there aren’t enough nurse educators, there won’t be enough graduating nurses to
meet the demands of healthcare system.
Rue Education has been innovating the way LPN/LVNs, RTs, and
Paramedics become RNs for over 20 years. We understand that although the
motivation and desire may be there for an individual to pursue their nursing
degree and become an RN, the means to do so isn’t always available. Not
everyone can afford to miss hours at their work to attend campus classes, or
take time away from their family to commute to class. Lives and responsibilities
come first and career goals can be sidelined. That’s why Rue Education created
a unique approach to becoming a registered nurse by studying and taking nursing
courses on your own schedule at your own pace. We also gave you a team of
support with real academic advisors and nurse educators to help you from
beginning to graduation. You also have options like tutor-led online courses
for those that like the structure of a tutor. We also understand that people
are more connected and social than ever. Rue’s Mentor Connection is a place
where other classmates just like you can come together for study tips, words of
advice, and encouragement. You can also stay up-to-date on current events in
the nursing world by reading our blog and following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Join the Rue family! Nearly 100,000 others have already used Rue Education to
earn credit toward their nursing degree, are you ready?
