DECATUR, AL (WAFF) -
A potential nursing shortage sounds like a bad thing for hospitals and patients, but it could be a good opportunity for those of you who may not have considered this as a career.
On Wednesday hundreds of nurses attended a rally at the State house. They asked lawmakers to do more to help them serve the community, like provide more funding opportunities.
There are hundreds of nursing students at Calhoun College in Decatur who are hoping to go from the classroom to the emergency room.
"The more we hear and the more the nursing shortage is, the word gets out and students realize this is an opportunity for them to go to school and complete their education and get a job," said Dean of Health Science Bret McGill.
A job that nursing student Tina McGrath hopes to have when she graduates in December.
"It's good to know you can go out there and take care of people when they need help and know they are getting the right kind of care," McGrath said.
Health care that will be in demand in the coming years. Nationally an estimated 340,000 registered nurses will be needed by the year 2020. An estimated 55 percent of current RN's anticipate retirement between now and 2020 as the nursing population ages and "Baby Boomers" begin to retire. McGrath sees these numbers as opportunity.
"It actually benefits us because when we graduate our chances of getting a job are high," McGrath said. "They are opening up new hospitals and new facilities for the medical field so everyone should have a great opportunity."
Copyright WAFF 2012. All rights reserved.
A shortage of nurses could lead to career opportunities for those who want in the health field.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WSFA, a Raycom Media Station. 