Providers issue brief: nursing shortages: year end report-2003

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Workforce Analysis
• Nursing Economics

Background:

• A 2002 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services analyzed the nursing workforce.
• In 2000, the national supply of full-time equivalent nurses was 1.89 million.
• The demand for nurses in 2000 was estimated at 2 million.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the existing nursing shortage in the United States.
• To project future demand for nurses.
• To assess the potential impact of demand acceleration on the nursing workforce.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of national nursing supply and demand data from the year 2000.
• Extrapolation of demand trends to project future nursing needs.
• Calculation of percentage-based nursing shortage.

Main Results:

• A nursing shortage of 110,000 full-time equivalent nurses was identified in 2000, representing a 6% deficit.
• Projected demand for nurses was estimated to accelerate significantly by 2015.
• The demand was forecast to increase by approximately 20% by the year 2015.

Conclusions:

• The United States experienced a notable nursing shortage in the year 2000.
• Demand for nursing services is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.
• Urgent strategies are needed to address the escalating nursing shortage and meet future healthcare needs.