4 Reasons Why Institutions Need PNs

Posted On May 24,2017

If you are looking to join the medical world, working as a practical nurse offers you the perfect entry point. Practical nursing programs offer flexible hours that allow you to work, attend to your family and study towards becoming a practical nurse (PN). Thereafter, you can offer your family stability, financial security and find satisfaction in taking care of others.

As demand for practical nurses increases by 16 percent between 2014 and 2024, you will enjoy job security. Changes in health care provision mean that institutions will need more practical nurses to assist in patient care.

Some of the reasons institutions will increase their intake of practical nurses include:

Increase in Demand of Services from Long-term care Patients

There is a high demand for nurses among baby boomers looking for medical and rehabilitative care services. Often, PNs work with baby boomers in care facilities or in their homes as their primary care givers. Statistics indicate that the number of people above 65 will continue to increase until 2030, which means the demand for PNs is likely to skyrocket in coming years. Often, baby boomers suffer from conditions related to age, which PNs can manage well. Institutions avoid assigning such cases to registered nurses (RNs), instead assigning them to more complex cases.

Replace Old PN’s

Many of the practical nurses in the workforce are approaching retirement or working to advance to practicing as RNs. Statistics indicate that the average age among nurses is 47 years; more than 50 percent of PNs are over 40 years and more than a third are over 50 years of age. As this population of PNs prepares to retire, institutions must hire a new generation of PNs to learn from the experienced nurses and to prepare them to take over. Additionally, as a section of PNs advance to RNs, institutions will need a new generation of practical nurses to take over and even assist the RNs.

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Increasing Demand for Quality Care

As more people access insurance through the Affordable Care Act, institutions must increase their staff to ensure they keep up with the pressure. There is also more knowledge in the public on quality healthcare and patient demands are on the rise. Over 98 percent of patients believe that a nursing shortage is likely to affect stress levels and patient care negatively. A nursing shortage is likely to increase the chances of errors and mistakes.

Health care providers must increase their work force to meet these demands and keep up with quality standards. Hiring new PNs can reduce occurrence of errors and mistakes, and improve patient satisfaction.

Skills Diversity

As the medical field adapt to technological changes, institutions must make changes to keep up with industry standards. There are more specialty courses in nursing, with nurses taking on a more central role in the care of patients. Institutions looking to provide word-class medical care must increase their intake on nurses to ensure they have a wide variety of skills in their staff, and to offer more support staff to specialty departments.

Practical Nurses provide a diverse set of skills and can easily integrate into different departments, especially where there is need for specialized care. Institutions also get a bigger talent pool to aid in the delivery of quality care.

As institutions respond to changing market needs, opportunities for PNs will increase. The best way to prepare yourself for changing market trends is to enroll in a reputable training program. The Athena Career Academy offers you a range of flexible options to kick start your career as a PN.