The status of nursing in the state of Delaware: a second look.

The shortage of nurses in Delaware continues to have a negative impact on the health care delivery system. Nurses play a unique and central role and are the largest group of health care professionals in the country. This threatening crisis in nurse staffing has the potential to impact all aspects of health care in a negative manner. In October 2005, Wesley College, the Delaware Board of Nursing, and the Delaware Health Care Commission entered into a partnership to replicate the study completed in 2000 by Mrs. Karen Panunto entitled, The Status of Nursing in the State of Delaware. The purpose of the replication was to determine if progress had been made in alleviating the nursing shortage. The trends noted in the data can enable the State of Delaware to develop long range plans that could circumvent the threatening increased nursing shortage. Trending of data from the 2000 study to the 2005 study shows very minimal positive improvement and highlights continual declines in the nursing profession. It would be important to follow trending with another study in five years. This study could focus on the loss of nursing manpower, the nursing educator shortage, lack of sites for clinical experiences, and other issues.