Nursing Shortage

Nurses play a vital role in the health care of our country. It is the nurses who make hourly visits to hospital rooms, caring for and monitoring the patients in need. The work accomplished my nurses is often overlooked. And in recent years, that workload has continued to increase. With a majority of the nursing workforce joining prior to the 1970’s, we may face the largest nursing shortage our nation has ever seen. Combined with an aging population, the rise of chronic disease and limited capacity in nursing schools, patients and health-care providers are weary of the coming crisis. Joining us today, is Dr. Katreena Merrill, assistant professor of nursing at BYU. Dr. Merrill discusses the shortage and what we can expect to see in the nursing workforce.