How employable are nurses?

CareerExplorer rates nurses with an A employability rating, meaning this career should provide great employment opportunities for the foreseeable future.

Are nurses in demand?

The current nursing shortage in the United States has created high demand in all medical sectors. More than half a million positions for registered nurses are projected to open up through 2022. As patient volume grows because of an increased insured rate and hospitals face ongoing pressure to discharge patients as soon as possible, nurses will be in demand at extended or residential care facilities. More home healthcare will be needed to respond to an aging baby boomer population. Outpatient centres and clinics which perform same-day procedures such as chemotherapy, dialysis, and some surgeries and rehabilitation will require significant numbers of trained nurses. Jobs in these outpatient centres and in physicians’ offices are likely to be the most sought after positions, due in part to the regular, weekday hours and comfortable work environments they offer. Despite periodic hiring freezes and financial constraints, hospitals will continue to produce more nursing jobs than other sectors of the medical profession. This is due to the fact that they have higher retirement and turnover rates brought about by their high-stress acute care environments. More education and superior credentials, an interest in working with older patients, or willingness to relocate to under-served regions of the country all improve employment prospects for nurses.