McKinley Andrew
Issue Brief Health Policy Track Serv. 2004 Dec 31:1-8.
Many states across the nation are seeking ways to retain registered nurses and curb rising workforce shortages. Some state governments have established scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to increase the number of people pursuing a career in nursing. State lawmakers are also providing incentives to increase the number of nurse educators. Hospitals are offering childcare subsidies and employers are offering flexible hours and signing bonuses. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) released a study in June 2000 estimating a 20 percent shortage of registered nurses by 2020 in the United States. A nursing shortage exists in this country for several reasons. First, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, enrollment in bachelor's programs has declined steadily for the last five years. Moreover, the nursing work force is aging; less than 10 percent of registered nurses are under the age of 30. The numbers are expected to further decline because many baby boomers will be retiring by 2010. Lastly, nurses' salaries, on average, are inadequate compared to other professions.
美国许多州都在寻求方法来留住注册护士，并遏制日益严重的劳动力短缺问题。一些州政府已经设立了奖学金和贷款免除项目，以增加从事护理职业的人数。州立法者也在提供激励措施，以增加护理教育工作者的数量。医院提供儿童保育补贴，雇主提供灵活的工作时间和签约奖金。《美国医学会杂志》（JAMA）在2000年6月发表了一项研究，估计到2020年美国注册护士短缺20%。美国存在护士短缺问题有几个原因。首先，根据美国护理学院协会的数据，在过去五年里，本科护理专业的入学人数一直在稳步下降。此外，护理劳动力正在老龄化；年龄在30岁以下的注册护士不到10%。由于许多婴儿潮一代将在2010年退休，预计这一数字还会进一步下降。最后，与其他职业相比，护士的平均工资较低。
