A Brief Economic Analysis of the Looming Nursing Shortage In the United States

TIMOTHY M. SNAVELY, MHA, BSN, RN, is a Health Care Administrator, United States Army, San Antonio, TX.

Nursing Economic$ 34(2):p 98-100, March 2016.

▸ The United States is projected to experience a nursing shortage in the coming years as market forces begin to shift away from equilibrium.
▸ A return to pre-recession work levels, aging baby boomers, and insufficient numbers of nursing graduates adversely affect the supply of nurses
▸ The aging population, a rise in chronic care management needs, and the Affordable Care Act will result in an increasing demand for them.
▸ Returning to a state of equilibrium is critical if our health care system is to ensure care that is accessible, safe, and cost effective.