72 percent of the nurses reported that
risks loom ahead for the nursing profession
76 Percent Satisfied with Jobs but Many Fear New
Challenges for Profession
Nurses throughout the country give high marks to their jobs but
anticipate a host of challenges within the coming years, according
to the first nationwide survey of nurses and the outlook for their
profession.
Vital Signs 2012: A National Nursing Attitudes and Outlook
Report,highlights survey findings conducted by Jackson
Healthcare, the nation's third largest healthcare staffing company,
in conjunction with Jackson
Nurse Professionals.
Seventy-six percent of the nurses in the survey said they were
satisfied or very satisfied in their jobs in caring for the sick or
infirm. However, 72 percent of the nurses reported that risks
loom ahead for the nursing profession-particularly workload
increases, a nursing shortage and increased liabilities and
litigation involving nurses.
"Nursing is a great profession at the moment," said Richard L.
Jackson, chairman and CEO of Jackson Healthcare. "It provides good
pay, rewarding work and a nice balance between personal and
professional life.
"However, with so many seniors approaching retirement, a
potential nursing shortage, more litigation in the medical
profession and a potential explosion of newly insured patients
thanks to the Affordable Care Act, nurses fear the future and
changes coming to their profession."
The survey found that only 5 percent of nurses currently are
very dissatisfied with their work. But those who are unhappy tend
to be younger nurses (ages 25 to 34) compared to nurses ages 65 or
older. Male nurses also are more likely to be unhappy compared to
female nurses. The survey found a significant spike in nurses
retiring in about 10 years.
"With the potential for so many nurses retiring in the near
future, America's healthcare delivery system may have a real
problem if younger nurses are unhappy and leave the profession as
well," said Scott L'Heureux, president of Jackson Nurse
Professionals.
The survey found that in the next three to five years, 49
percent of nurses planned to keep their current jobs while 13
percent said they would seek a leadership position in nursing.
Eleven percent said they would return to school to earn a
bachelor's degree in nursing; 10 percent said they would like to
teach nursing; and nine percent said they would like to transition
to a nurse practitioner role.
To access this nurses' survey report, click here.
To download a PDF of this news release, click
here.