Registered Nursing Shortages: Public Policy, and Higher Education in the Western States

The U.S. is in the midst of a shortage of registered nurses that is projected to intensify in the next 10 to 15 years as the current workforce reaches retirement age and the Baby Boom generation’s health needs increase. Compounding this problem is the decreasing enrollment of students in nursing colleges and universities, aging nursing faculties, and a decline in the appeal of the nursing profession due to staffing and workplace issues. This policy brief examines some of the complex and interrelated trends contributing to the current and future dilemma
regarding the registered nurse workforce.