Nursing Numbers Highlight Need for More Educators, Nurses

Embedded in an interview with Lynn Babington, dean and professor in the School of Nursing at Fairfield University, featured in the latest issue of Hartford Business Journal, are a stream of statistics about nursing and our aging population that are worth noting:

• People 65+ represented 12.4 percent of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19 percent of the population by 2030.
• The average age of the registered nurse in this country is 48 years old. As the population ages and continues to live longer and chronic health conditions increase, there is a growing demand for nurses in all care settings.
• There are a shortage of doctorally prepared nurses and an aging faculty workforce. The average age of nursing faculty in the U.S. is 57 years old.

If these stats spark your interest in the professional, take a look at the Department of Public Health detail on education programs available in Connecticut, and the latest numbers on how they're doing.