How Do Baby Boomers Affect Healthcare for the Next Generation

Over the last 70 or so years, the baby boomer generation — those born in the years that immediately followed World War II — have reached machismo, contributed to numerous advancements in the workplace and are now reaching retirement age. Because of the higher-than-average nascence charge per unit associated with the catamenia following the war, the number of people who autumn into this category is high — approximately 75 one thousand thousand. While the shift in demographic associated with this generation's retirement has profound implications for workforce levels and other socio-economic concerns in the U.S., the health care manufacture in item is feeling the implications of the infant boomers' advanced age. As this demographic has aged, it has brought new challenges that medical professionals must run into to ensure the health of the nation.

Infant boomers non only are influencing the wellness intendance field in general only also specifically the nursing industry. As demands on the medical field shift, the responsibilities and levels of nursing professionals volition need to respond accordingly.

The baby boomers and health care

It would be hard to deny that the aging baby boomer generation is putting stress on the health care industry. According to Hospital and Wellness Networks, this demographic has proven to exist more sickly than the previous, perhaps equally a upshot of its members' reputation for indulging more than their parents. Regardless of the cause, people are living longer, which typically increases instances of chronic conditions and other diseases that require care. Simply, boomers too accept higher rates of hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes, which exacerbate this challenge.

While the increased demand on the U.Southward. wellness intendance arrangement affects the medical profession in a variety of ways, this stress specifically affects the nursing manufacture in two facets: supply and demand.

An increased demand for nurses

People usually require more than health care services as they get older. Consequently, as a result of the generation's sheer size, the aging infant boomer population is increasing the need for qualified wellness care professionals, including nurses. Because of state mandated nurse-to-patient ratios, hospitals may experience the strain of the increased number of patients sooner than other wellness care organizations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), demand for registered nurses is expected to increase by 16 percent from 2014 to 2024, a rate that is much faster than other industries in the country. This rise will add an boosted 439,300 job opportunities for nurses. Demand for avant-garde practice nurses (APNs) is even college. The BLS reported that jobs for APNs during the aforementioned period are expected to increase by 31 percent, an improver of more than than 50,000 positions.

The rising need for nurses not only provides increased opportunities for professionals within hospitals just also opens upward options in alternative health intendance settings, such equally in private dwelling care, long-term care facilities and outpatient clinics.

A decrease in nursing numbers

The aging population also affects existing nursing staffing levels. Experienced baby boomer nurses, including many in leadership roles, are retiring and leaving the health care field. According to AMN Healthcare (2015), nearly two-thirds of infant boomer nurses are considering retirement. "This data confirms what nosotros've known anecdotally and allows u.s.a. to finally put dimensions and a timeline around a predicted retirement surge," Marcia Faller, RN, Ph.D., the primary clinical officeholder at AMN Healthcare, said in a press release. "Only the harm to the health care industry goes beyond the numbers. The loss of this intellectual nugget may be acutely felt in terms of quality of intendance and patient satisfaction. To withstand this loss, health care administrators demand assistance in preparing for the nursing workforce of the hereafter."

While the nursing field already is experiencing a shortage, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reported that the problem will be intensified by the demand placed past crumbling baby boomers. This situation particularly is challenging as the retirement of these professionals has coincided with the increased staffing level requirements necessitated past health care reform in the U.S.

Some health intendance organizations are taking steps to go along baby boomers in health care positions longer, such as phased retirement and making the workplace friendlier to older employees. However, these measures but will stretch so far. Equally baby boomer nurses leave the medical profession, nursing institutions — both academic and professional — volition need to concenter a new generation of nurses to take their identify to ensure that patients receive quality care.

The next generation of nurse leaders

What does the increased need for and decreased supply of nurses hateful for individuals who currently work in the profession? As previously noted, need for APNs is expected to rise past 31 percent between 2014 and 2024. This growth includes positions such every bit nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists.
To join the side by side generation of nurse leaders, consider enrolling in an online Primary of Science in Nursing (MSN) plan. An MSN not just will provide you with advanced cognition of nursing practise but also ready you to accept on a position with more than responsibility within your profession. With a growing number of nurses earning Bachelor of Scientific discipline in Nursing (BSN) degrees, an MSN will set you apart from the competition and aid to ensure that y'all provide your patients with the all-time possible care.

Recommended Readings

Earn an MSN to Work in a Diversity of Settings

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Bradley University Online Nursing Programs

Sources

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm

world wide web.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm

www.hhnmag.com/articles/5298-Boomers-Will-Transform-Health-Intendance-as-They-Age

amnhealthcare.investorroom.com/2015-11-09-Virtually-Two-thirds-of-Baby-Boomer-Nurses-At present-Considering-Retirement-Even-as-RN-Demand-Rises-Rapidly

world wide web.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage

How Do Baby Boomers Affect Healthcare for the Next Generation

Source: https://onlinedegrees.bradley.edu/blog/aging-baby-boomer-population-what-it-means-for-the-nursing-industry/

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