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Baby Boomers Won’t Have Enough Nurses, Study Says
A recent Vanderbilt University report predicts there will be 20% fewer nurses than needed by the year 2020—leaving the health-care industry unable to care for aging baby boomers. Broader career opportunities for women are the primary culprit behind the shortage; women fill 90% of nursing positions in the U.S. According to the study, the number of young people entering the field decreased by 35% over the past two decades. The number of per capita nurses is expected to peak in 2007 and will quickly decline as aging nurses retire.