Buerhaus Article - Nov/Dec

278 TH I S F O U R-PA RT S E R I E S o n changes in the re g i s t e re d nurse (RN) workforce has re p o rted the results of several analyses designed to assess: (a) plausible explanations for the curre n t s h o rtage of RNs in hospital specialty c a re units (Buerhaus, Staiger, & Auerbach, 2000a); (b) the influence of older-aged associate degree graduates in explaining the rapid aging of the RN workforce (Auerbach, B u e rhaus, & Staiger, 2000); and (c) the expansion of new career opportunities for women and the declining i n t e rest in nursing as a care e r ( S t a i g e r, Auerbach, & Buerh a u s , 2000). These analyses were conducted as supplemental investigations of a larger study on the aging RN workf o rce (Buerhaus, Staiger, & Auerbach, 2000b). That study examined key s o u rces of observed change in the age distribution and total supply of RNs, and projected the future age distribution and total RN supply to the year 2 0 2 0 . The trends that have been discussed in this series are likely to dominate the RN workforce during the next few decades. An aging and eventually shrinking RN workforc e will directly affect not only the nursing profession, but present formidable challenges to employers, physicians, nursing educators, the Policy Responses to an A gi n g R egi s t e red Nurse Wo rk fo rc e