Severe Nursing Shortage in Iowa

In Iowa, the current nursing shortage has become a crisis. Lack of faculty in nursing programs and low wages, and not enough graduate nurses to replace the work force are the causes. US Rep. Tom Latham of Iowa said that he would hold a meeting with nursing groups next month regarding the issue.

Nursing shortage is not limited to Iowa, for other states face the same problem too. About 41 percent of registered nurses in the United States are at least 50 years old and nearing retirement, according to the latest survey from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.

The problem will continue to grow if nursing schools would not be able to double the number of their graduates. Increasing the number of graduate nurses produced each year would not be easy because in all, Iowa has about 100 nursing faculty vacancies, according to the Iowa Nurses' Association. This causes a number of students to be denied admission to nursing schools due to lack of qualified teachers. Also, most of the nursing teachers in universities are 50-and 60- year olds. Filling up the nursing faculty vacancies seems to be a problem also. Few nurses are willing to take up a Master's degree to be able to teach because they can receive a much higher salary in the hospitals.

Sadly, this issue is not confined to health care professionals only. Patients can be more affected. Less nurses means inadequate medical care for them.