Help Wanted: Nurses in High Demand Across the Country
posted on Thursday, October 18, 2018 in
College News
A lot in the field of nursing has changed in the 50 plus years since Hawkeye Community College opened its doors, but one thing remains the same: Everyone needs nurses.
Nurses are in high demand everywhere, including Iowa. More than one million new registered nurses will be needed in the U.S. by 2022 to meet workforce demands. A major factor is the aging Baby Boomer generation, coupled with a large number of retiring nurses.
More than half a million nurses are expected to retire within the next five years, according to a report by the American Nurses Association. The Iowa Board of Nursing reports that among Iowa’s 56,000 active nurses, nearly half of registered nurses and more than a third of licensed practical nurses were over the age of 50 in 2017.
Hawkeye Community College offers both Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing programs. Practical Nursing prepares students to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and care for patients of all ages with a variety of health conditions. Training includes knowledge and skills in vital signs, infection control, pharmacology, and lifespan growth and development.
Practical Nursing can be completed in one year, after which students have the ability to continue in the Associate Degree Nursing program, which trains students to become registered nurses. Students gain knowledge and skills in the mastery of assessment and clinical skills; legal and ethical practices; medical and surgical nursing; and maternal-child, mental health, and community nursing.
Practical Nursing has both daytime and evening program options. Associate Degree Nursing is currently offered during the day. Both programs prepare students for careers with increasing demand. By 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 12 percent increase in demand for licensed practical nurses, and an 18 percent increase in demand for registered nurses.
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- Associate Degree Nursing
- Connect Magazine
- Health careers
- Healthcare
- Nursing
- Practical Nursing