Nursing shortages are being experienced throughout the country.

One factor is that the average age of registered nurses is increasing faster than other professionals. The average age of RNs is 44 years. Currently 2.1 million RNs comprise the nursing workforce, but only 9 percent of those are younger than age 30.

Second, the aging of the general population will create additional demand for nurses that will outstrip the supply later in this decade. The gap between demand and supply is expected to widen each year thereafter. The population aged 85 years and older will double by 2020.

By 2010 it is expected that there will be only 635,000 RNs to fill nearly 1.8 million slots, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

However, we can prepare now to head off the greater effects of this crisis by re-engineering the care delivery process, including the family in a much more active caregiving role and by fully utilizing the gains we have made in technology.