Nursing jobs on the rise

According to a new report from the Indiana Business Research Center at IU’s Kelley School of Business, nursing jobs are expected to grow nearly 30 percent by 2014. \nRachel Justis, geodemographic analyst for the Indiana Business Research Center, said the findings are likely because more nurses are working outside of traditional hospital and doctor’s offices. \nJustis said registered nurses have more opportunities now. For instance, she said 42 percent of nurses work in nursing homes or assisted-living centers, while 52 percent work in traditional hospital settings and others work for home health agencies. \nLisa Parsley, education liaison and recruitment specialist for Bloomington Hospital, said Bloomington Hospital recognized early in 2000 that there could be a possible shortage in nurses in the future and created a program called “Grow Our Own.” \n“We go out and let people know about the various health care careers, including nursing,” Parsley said. “We give hospital tours as well so students can learn more by being in the (hospital) environment.”\nHealth care giant Johnson & Johnson also recognized the shortage of registered nurses will impact the whole country and started a campaign called Discover Nursing, which highlights why there has never been a better time to be a nurse. \nJustis said many current nurses will be looking to retire soon, because many are baby boomers. Therefore, hospitals and other facilities will need new nurses to come into the workforce. Justis said the whole country, not just Indiana, is in need of nurses. \nParsley agreed, saying many baby boomers are reaching the age of retirement or will simply be cutting their hours. She also said the shortage of nurses has a lot to do with not having enough faculty to teach. \nParsley said projections show that 100,000 registered nurse positions are currently open, and by the year 2020, 800,000 will be available, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics on Registered Nurses. \n“We are doing everything we can to lessen that number,” Parsley said. \nHospitals are trying to encourage people to enter the nursing field by offering their staffs tuition reimbursement. The Bloomington Hospital, IU and Ivy Tech have teamed up and received the Indiana Region Eight Workforce Development Grant, which helped to create a simulation lab where students can practice their skills in a controlled environment. Parsley said students can practice on SimMAN, a highly technical mannequin that responds to students and shows symptoms the way a real person would. \nJustis said she expects a growth in nursing programs. She said it is wise for students to look into nursing if they want job stability and competitive pay. State-wide, the average salary for nurses is $51,196, she said. The lowest Indiana salary for nurses was in southwest Indiana where the average was $42,000, which Justis said is still pretty high. \nOnly one factor could limit the amount of jobs available for incoming nurses, Justis said. She said some nurses now will work past retirement, skip retirement or not retire as early as they once might have.