​In the last ten years and in the foreseeable future there is and will continue to be a shortage of primary care professionals. Nurses are being given more responsibilities and Nurse Practitioners are taking over the primary care of many patients in many situations and facilities.

The road to becoming a Nurse Practitioner starts, of course, with becoming an RN. A Bachelor's Degree in Nursing is usually required and then you must study to get your Master's Degree in Nursing. There are programs available that can accelerate the process as well. The growth in this field as predicted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is over 19% by 2020 with salaries ranging from $95K to over $100K depending on where you are.

Most professors in med schools now are in their 60's and will see retirement soon. Faculties in these schools are aging. There is a great need for highly educated nurses, with master's degrees, to take over these teaching positions in colleges and universities across the country.

Nursing is changing dramatically as people are living longer and the rate of obesity and obesity related problems increases in our sick society. More people will require care in their homes to try to keep them out of facilities long term. Highly specialized knowledge is required and therefore more Advanced Practice Nurses will be needed.

Areas that are underserved and rural will be requiring more outpatient care centers and these facilities will utilize Nurse Practitioners due to shortages of physicians in the coming years. Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Anesthetists will be in great demand in all areas, rural and urban.

Due to the lack of primary care providers RN's are finally being recognized for their contribution as key members of the healthcare team. A significant growth in the workforce can be seen because of this. RN's are now considered an important part of the team and they are there to deliver patient-centered care. This makes the career path more interesting and attractive to more people.

The shortages of healthcare personnel contribute to the need for Travel Nurses, Travel Advanced Practice Nurses and Travel Therapists. Job growth is expected to continue well above the national average for the next decade at least. Keep learning and growing.

Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network