Registered nursing jobs are expected to expand by 19% through 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and a new report from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing released today outlines ways Louisiana can fill the demand for those jobs.
“If we hope to improve health and healthcare outcomes in our nation and state, it is imperative
that we are proactive in assessing the current and future demand for nurses,” reads the report. “Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventative care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; demand for healthcare services from the baby boomer population, as they live longer and more active lives; and the Affordable Care Act, which is increasing the number of persons that are insured and seeking healthcare providers and services.”
Among the recommendations outlined in the report, the nursing board says academic nurse leaders across all of Louisiana’s schools of nursing should work together to increase the
proportion of nurses with baccalaureate degrees. Funding should also be sought to develop nurse residency programs that will prepare new graduates for a successful transition into the workplace.
Nurses interested in taking on leadership positions within the various healthcare industries also need to be provided the advanced education and training necessary to function successfully as a leader, the report says.
Additional work with health care industries that are experiencing large turnover rates to develop a plan of action to increase retention of nurses within their facilities is also needed, the report says. So, too, is the development of nurse demand snapshots, or one-pagers, for each type of health care industry, and making the information readily available to employers, policy makers, and other interested stakeholders.
