The nursing shortage: implications for perianesthesia nursing in the 21st century

Nursing shortages are not a new problem, and in fact, seem to come around on an almost cyclical basis. Although nursing shortages are not unusual, this first shortage of the 21st century exhibits unique characteristics that could undermine the very fiber of nursing, and healthcare in general. Members of the ASPAN Board of Directors attended the Nursing Shortage: Practical Solutions Conference conducted by The Forum on Health Care Leadership and sponsored by Cross Country University (a continuing education company part of Cross Country Staffing, Boca Raton, FL) and Curtin Calls, held in September of 1999 (Ft Lauderdale, FL). This article provides an overview of information gathered at that conference and will also explore the challenges and opportunities that this shortage poses to the specialty of perianesthesia nursing.