Nursing Opportunities Anticipated

There's no recruiter in America with a definitive answer, but the general gist is that the shortage is ever-present. Anyone who's attended any nursing conference recently is familiar with the statistic that the nurse shortage will reach 500,000 by 2025. Just when the exodus of older nurses from the workplace will begin to occur is a wild card, but it's in the forecast. "A fair number of our experienced nurses are still with us," said Ann Bures, MA, RN, CHCR, nurse recruiter,University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. "During the economic downtown, many nurses decided to go part time or per diem instead of completely retiring. We don't consider that turnover because of their continued employment."

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Changing Candidate Profile

As a result of the media blitz promoting the job security inherent in nursing and the concurrent trend of corporate downsizing, high numbers of Americans are entering nursing.

In addition to the intrinsic rewards in nursing, many second career nurses, especially those over 40, were attracted to the profession while interacting with nurses during a loved one's care. The plethora of accelerated degree options makes it easier than ever to pursue nursing beyond the traditional age for choosing a career.

Liz Hatfield, employment specialist at Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury, NJ, said she has seen an influx in second career candidates for the past 5 years.

In Baltimore, Bures hopes the trend will continue.

"Many schools in this area have added faculty and programs in the last 2-3 years, and there's definitely an increase in the number of individuals entering nursing programs," she said. "The shortage is looming and will only take a more dramatic presence in the coming year, so I find it encouraging."

Emphasis on Education

Whatever their age, the candidates called in for interviews in nursing are more educated than their counterparts a few years ago.

"One thing that's really changed in the last year is the large increase in BSN candidates," said Hatfield. "More hospitals are requiring the BSN and candidates feel it will improve their marketability."

As a Magnet facility, University of Maryland Medical Center traditionally attracted BSN-prepared nurses, although associate degree graduates are still hired. Their new grad nurse residency program, which is still operating, is more competitive than ever. Underwood-Memorial Hospital also has an active new grad program, although fewer slots are available this year. According to Hatfield, the more competitive applicant pool has allowed the hospital to raise their standards.

Having more advanced degrees does offer nurses more financial security. The 2011 salary survey results showed nurses with BSN degrees in Maryland/DC/Virginia made an additional $3,500 more than ADN nurses. For Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware nurses, the increase was $4,600 for BSN nurses.

Hot Specialties

Nurse education hasn't been confined to the university classroom. In both Maryland and New Jersey, recruiters notice a growing list of credentials in the résumés they review.

Bures anticipates University of Maryland Medical Center will need more nurses in the next 2-3 years when the facility's new patient tower for trauma, surgical ICU, emergency department and periop opens. Applicants with the critical care or emergency specialty credentials will likely have a leg up on the competition.

CCRN designation could position candidates for jobs in one of the units with the highest turnover at Underwood, said Hatfield.

"Hospital leaders do tend to come from critical care so there is a fair amount of transition in this unit as people are promoted," she said. "Our biggest needs are for the ICU and ED. There's a lot of opportunity for growth in these areas."

Help Wanted: Nurse Managers

Reflecting a national trend, Mid-Atlantic hiring managers notice more vacancies for nurse managers than staff nurses.

Hatfield recommends nurses interested in transitioning to management - even in the very distant future - volunteer for committees, get acquainted with the hospital's mission statement and be included in processes.

Also heavily recruiting for managers, Bures noticed it's taking longer to fill those positions.

"The nurse manager has so many levels of responsibility," she said. "Some people want to lead and inspire, but others are hesitant because of the demands on their time. If you have 24/7 accountability, you're here 24/7."

More responsibility does come with a bigger paycheck. Salary survey results showed nurse managers in Maryland/DC/Virginia earned significantly more than staff nurses ($37.91/hour versus $32.05), as did managers in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware region ($36.75 versus $33.06).

University of Maryland Medical Center supports a professional advancement model where someone in a senior clinical role partners with a nurse manager to teach operations, staff budget and clinical issues. In time, she anticipates the facility will have to formalize the succession plan.

After more than 2 years in a recession-ravaged economy, the challenges in finding employees with management potential seems like a great problem to have. "It's still going to be good," said Bures of the field. "Nursing will still be a career with sustainability and job security."

Robin Hocevar is senior regional editor at ADVANCE.