Addressing the Nursing Shortage: Business, Consumer, and Health Care System Perspectives

Abstract

The American health care system costs too much with, too often, little return on investment. There are far too many wasted resources, far too many errors and the desired outcomes are often not achieved.

Nurses provide quality, skilled health care, including care coordination, chronic care management, and preventive care services. Moreover, research demonstrates that the care provided by nurses saves lives and improves patient outcomes. But our nation is facing a critical shortage of nurses that is projected to get worse – 500,000 by 2025.