National poll shows most Americans are worried about nursing shortage; Vanderbilt University study provides key insights on perceptions and fears - Health - Artículo Breve

Hispanic Times Magazine, Summer, 2002

Americans are acutely aware of the national nursing shortage and believe it is a serious problem, according to a national poll released today by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's School of Nursing and Center for Health Services Research. The poll confirms that a vast majority of Americans are concerned about the impact the nursing shortage may have on their personal health and worry that the shortage will negatively impact the quality of patient care in this country.

The study also confinns that Americans overwhelmingly trust, respect and admire nurses and would encourage relatives and friends to consider a career in nursing. However, a general lack of knowledge of the nursing profession and the opportunities it presents remain significant barriers to nursing recruitment efforts.

The study shows that:

* More than 8 in 10 Americans (81%) recognize that there is a nursing shortage in this country and that nearly 2 in 3 Americans (65%) recognize the shortage as either a major problem or a crisis.

* Overwhelmingly, (93%)Americans agree (80% strongly) that the nursing shortage jeopardizes the quality of health care in the United States. Seniors, aged 55 and older, are particularly sensitive to the impact of the shortage on the quality of the health care system.

* Three in 4 (75%) Americans are concerned that the nursing shortage could impact their individual health care, and 2 in 3 (65%) of younger Americans (aged 18 to 34) experience anxiety over the shortage.

Other key findings of the survey include:

* Nearly all Americans (95%) find nurses' opinions on health matters to be credible and overwhelmingly trust, respect and admire nurses.

* Nearly all Americans (97%) view nurses and the nursing profession favorably (76% very favorably) and most Americans (91%) say nurses play a critical role in the health care system.

* More than 8 in 10 Americans (83%)--including 78% of men --would encourage a loved one to take up a career in nursing.

* More than 9 in 10 Americans (91%) said they would view it positively (74% very positively) if a family member or close friend told them they were considering a career in nursing. Men (89%) are only slightly less likely than women (92%) to share this sentiment.

* The care that nurses offer patients is the main reason Americans have considered a career in nursing. One-third (34%) of Americans who have considered nursing as a career say the primary reason is because nurses care about people and want to help others.

* Most Americans are unaware that nursing offers career opportunities outside patient care--such as research or hospital management. Many Americans have only a cursory knowledge of the differences between the different types of nursing professionals, such as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners. In addition, Americans much more strongly associate nurses with engaging in activities providing care, such as critical end of life care (74%), than they do with functions like working in laboratories (35%), conducting research (32%) and writing and revising hospital and clinic policies (30%).

* Most Americans have little or no idea about how much money nurses earn and there is little recognition that nursing salaries are competitive with those of other professions.

The national poll also found that interest in nursing will likely increase significantly once the American public is made aware of the opportunities the profession offers. Already 1 in 5 Americans (21%) say that they have at least once considered a career in nursing. The poll was conducted with telephone interviews of 1,005 Americans 21 years of age or older. Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc. of Washington, DC conducted the poll. The margin of error for the sample is +/ -3.1% at the 95th percentile confidence interval level.