The report, titled Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses; 2000-2020, says the shortage will deepen because increasing number of nurses are retiring while too few are entering the profession. The national supply of registered nurses in 2000 was estimated at 1.89 million, while the demand was estimated at 2 million, for a shortage of 110,000, or 6 percent.

Based on known trends in supply of RNs and anticipated demand, the shortage is expected to double to 12 percent by 2010. By 2015, the shortage is expected to more than triple to 20 percent and to continue growing up to 29 percent by 2020. Factors driving the growth in demand include an 18 percent growth in the population, a larger proportion of elderly in the population, and medical advances.

The report also indicates that the national shortage of RNs is not evenly distributed across States. Since 200, 30 states were estimated to have had shortages. By 2020, however, 44 States and the District of Columbia are projected to have shortages. Health & Human Services Secretary, Tommy G. Thomson, announced more than $30 million in grant awards to increase the number of qualified nurses and the quality of nursing across the country.

The full report is available in English only at:
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnproject.

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