Executive Summary

Nurses do more than care for people. Ever since Florence Nightingale led the effort to improve hospital sanitation and became known as the founder of modern day nursing, nurses have been at the forefront of change in health care and public health.
Nurses provide ongoing assessment of patient’s health. Their round-the-clock presence, observation, skills, and vigilance allow doctors to make better diagnoses and develop proper treatments. Many lives have undoubtedly been saved by an attentive nurse who saw early warning signs of an impending cardiac arrest or some other crisis.

Given the importance of nurses to the health of Americans, it is unfortunate, indeed, that the nation is facing a critical nursing shortage. There is a sense of urgency about the shortage this year as the first wave of baby boomers begins turning 60. As the country ages it means Registered Nurses will play an even larger role as the 78 million baby boomers require additional health services.

Hospitals have struggled to attract more nurses, but working conditions keep getting tougher. Nurses frequently have to work double shifts, and new insurance rules, under which only the sickest people are treated in hospitals these days, mean that each of the patients requires much more care and attention.

Introduction

The United States is facing a critical shortage of registered nurses -- particularly the specialized, highly trained nurses who staff intensive care units, operating rooms and emergency rooms -- a trend that threatens to decrease access to and undermine quality health care. Unless something is done to address the problem now, there may not be enough nurses to meet the nation’s health care needs in the near future. Health care organizations are at a crucial crossroad in the challenge to provide improves care for patients and