The present era marks a big boom in the nursing industry. The Nightingales are in great demand in domestic as well as in international healthcare set-ups. The United States has emerged on par with the UK in recruiting foreign nurses to fill up the gaps in their requirements. And all ‘Ladies with the lamp’ from countries worldwide are more than willing to migrate in pursue of better prospects.
A recent report released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that more than 1 million new and replacement nurses would be required by 2012. The figure indicates the magnitude of the problem, which is the interplay of many factors.
The demographic change- Over the next decade 18% of the US population will grow old and the population between the age group of 65 and above would increase 3 times. The geriatric group has increased health demands due to their age-related diseases. This change in demography has a direct effect on the demand of nurses.
Burnout and lack of job satisfaction- A majority of nurses consider a change in their profession due to the physical and emotional exhaustion. They are opting for other fields that offer lucrative jobs with better work environments.
Lack of sufficient training facilities- It is not that the training facilities are not expanding, but that they are not in par with rising demands. A shortage of trained staff contributes to this shortage of clinical training, education staff and specialists in the field.
Increased average age of nurse- According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in the United States, the number of candidates appearing for NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing) has decreased by 20%. This means that the number of nurses entering the profession has gone down, in turn increasing the average age of nurses.
Technological advancement- The contribution of technology in healthcare has increased tremendously resulting in increased demand for nurses that are specialized in specific areas.
Expansion of primary care- The expansion of primary care to various sites has also created a need for healthcare workers in great numbers. Among the other healthcare workers, nurses top the list.
Various strategies are followed to cover up the lacuna and adjust the demand domestically. For example, the enrollment in nursing is advertised through all possible ways including the media. Scholarships are offered along with financial schemes to attract more students.
However, the domestic work force is unable to meet the rising demand; therefore foreign nurses are recruited in large numbers. There are agencies that recruit nurses and send them to the US. One can easily make out agencies’ market space by the way they agencies are flourishing. Even the US government has released additional visas for nurses. From the year 2004, they have started the NCLEX-RN examination in source countries as well. The hospital and health care institutions offer attractive pay packages ($45,000-$65,000), along with a green card and other facilities, to foreign nurses in order to retain them. In a nutshell, the improvement in recruitment, immigration and licensure policies are encourage the immigration of nurses to the US.
This has opened a new avenue for nurses to work in better conditions with better pay packages. But the other part of the story is still unsaid. A large number of nurses from developing countries are moving to the US, creating a shortage of trained staff in the source countries. The faculty positions and the leadership ranks are vacant. As a result, these source countries are facing a brain-drain situation.
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Usha writes for chillibreeze.
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