There Are Too Few Nurses For An Aging America

By Patty Knecht

Healthcare jobs must continue to grow as Americans age and draw down resources. But this can’t occur if we don’t address the shortfall of healthcare workers, particularly nurses.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 190,000 registered-nurse and 55,000 licensed-practical-nurse openings each year through 2034 when factoring in retirements and workforce exits. At the same time, nursing schools are struggling to graduate enough nurses to fill these gaps as capacity constraints forced them to turn away more than 80,000 qualified applications last year. As our senior population grows, so will demand for care.

To provide the high quality, compassionate care we all need—from the cries of a newborn to the final breath of a hospice patient, and every stage in between—America needs more nurses. This starts with strengthening the nursing-education pipeline through bipartisan legislation. The Train More Nurses Act is one such option and would find ways to increase nursing faculty and increase pathways for licensed practical nurses to become registered nurses. Another option, the National Nursing Workforce Center Act of 2025, would help state-based nursing workforce centers address shortages by improving nursing education, practice, leadership and workforce development. The Precept Nurses Act would also establish a new tax credit for eligible educators serving as clinical preceptors.

Each would help ensure the long-term viability of our healthcare system, provide high-quality care patients deserve, and strengthen our economy in the process.

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