There are many reasons to love the nursing profession, and perhaps that is why so many nurses make it a lifelong career. While it may appear that nurses have a mindset of “once a nurse, always a nurse”, they too must retire at some point. It is no secret that there is national nursing shortage which impacts our local communities.  As the shortage continues to rise, the trend of an aging population in the U.S. coupled with the rate of nurse retirees will create numerous positions to fill.

• According to the National Library of Medicine, nurses make up the single largest segment of the health care work force.¹
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), employment of registered nurses (RNs) is projected to grow 6% from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. They project over 3.3 million job openings for registered nurses by 2033.²

Despite these facts, the demand for nurses is currently outpacing the supply of nurses available. 

Why is this nursing shortage occurring?

There are several reasons. The first is the age of the current nursing workforce. According to a survey published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers (Forum) in 2021, 53% of the RN workforce is age 50 or older with more than 20% of nurse respondents planning to retire by 2025 (Smiley et al., 2021).³

The changing demographics in the United States is also a factor for the nursing shortage.  The U.S. Census Bureau reported that there will be a higher population of individuals age 65 years and older (77.0 million) than individuals under the age of 18 (76.5 million) by 2034, meaning that one in five Americans will be a senior citizen (Vespa et al., 2020).⁴ As a result, there will be an increased need for geriatric care.

How does the nursing shortage affect you?

If you are considering nursing as a career, now is a great time to pursue your nursing education. With the demand continuing, more and more job opportunities may become available. The sooner you have your nursing license, the sooner you can start your nursing career! Already a Practical Nurse? Now may be an excellent time to continue your journey and advance to become an RN. Nurses from all levels are needed. No matter where you are in your nursing journey, now is the time to shine! Your community needs you!

To learn more about how you can become a nurse or how you can further your nursing education, check out our nursing programs at a campus near you!

Note: This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2025 with more recent data.

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine. Title of Book or Resource. Bookshelf ID: NBK209880. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209880/

2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm

3. Smiley, R. A., Ruttinger, C., Oliveira, C. M., Hudson, L. R., Allgeyer, R., Reneau, K. A., Silvestre, J. H., & Alexander, M. (2021). The 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/s2155-8256(21)00027-2

4. Vespa, Jonathan, Lauren Medina, and David M. Armstrong, “Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060,” Current Population Reports,  P25-1144, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2020.

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