CANTON, Ohio — Finding a job in your chosen field can be daunting, but for people entering healthcare, there's a huge demand in the state, especially when it comes to nurses.
- Registered nurses represent the number one most in-demand job occupation in the state
- The demand is due to an increase in healthcare services for an aging population
- Aultman college in Canton is addressing the need for more healthcare professionals
Registered nurses represent the number one most in-demand job occupation in Ohio. Almost 9,000 registered nursing jobs are posted in the state.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for registered nurses is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028. Demand for healthcare services will increase due to an aging population, more chronic conditions such as dementia, diabetes and obesity, plus millions of baby boomers are entering retirement.
"The average age of some of our nurses can go from 45 ,60, 65 plus. We're actually seeing nurses working a little bit longer, but that's a big population so when they are getting ready to retire we're actually going to see a bigger nursing shortage here in the next five to 10 years," said Theresa Benzel, nursing program director at Aultman College.
Benzel says the growing shortage of healthcare professionals can also be attributed to the number of patients admitted to hospitals.
"I would say the acuity of the patients has changed over the past probably, five, ten years where they are coming in sicker," said Benzel.
Aultman College in Canton is addressing the need for more healthcare professionals. The school, which is affiliated with Aultman Hospital, offers associate's and bachelor's degree programs in health sciences and nursing. There's also an online program offered.
"I'm hoping I can just get a job here at Aultman since I'm so used to the computer and the floors and everything," said Amber Emler, a nursing student at Aultman College. "It's probably one of the hardest things I've had to do education wise, it's grueling and taxing, but I think it's going to be very rewarding."
By 2024, it's expected that the nation will be in need of 32 million nurses.
With more than three million nursing jobs projected this year, it's a field many say is worth pursuing.
"I think that it makes a lot of sense, when you have a nurse, that's the person that you're relying on, you're telling them everything you're feeling, they're in charge of letting the doctor know how you're feeling, giving you your meds, looking out for you, advocating for you so it doesn't really surprise me at all," said Lynnsey Erb, nursing student at Aultman College.
