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Shortage soldiers

As more nurses retire along with the nation's aging baby boomers, the nursing shortage is expected to become increasingly widespread. According to the National Center for Health Workforce Information and Analysis, the shortage is expected to grow relatively slowly to about 12 percent until 2010. At that point, demand will begin to exceed supply at an accelerated rate and the shortage is expected to jump to about 20 percent by 2015.

Some retired nurses, like Gerry McCarthy, RN, of Traverse City, Mich., want to continue working part time to help ease the nursing shortage, but have to limit their hours so they don't go above the allowable earnings set by Social Security. McCarthy, 64, retired two years ago and works on call at Grand Traverse Pavilions, an extended care facility.

"My goal is to make the schedule of the [staff] nurses better by working for them so that they may have a day off. Young mothers are especially appreciative to be able to attend ballgames, school plays or just be home on Halloween," McCarthy said. "It is a rewarding way to continue investing in the field."

Until she reaches 65, McCarthy cannot earn more than $10,800 annually without facing a 50 percent reduction in her Social Security benefits. She would like to see the government relax the rules on allowable earnings for nurses who take early retirement.

"That would encourage more nurses to continue working … as the shortage continues," she said.

That would be good news for hospitals which, in response to the shortage, are calling on retired nurses to work, said Cindy Price, MA, senior public relations specialist for the ANA. "Whenever they can get people to fill in, they will."

But the pressure and physical toll of hospital work does not appeal to many older nurses who might otherwise want to stay active after they retire. The key, Snow said, is figuring out what kinds of postretirement work will appeal to nurses and keep them engaged, satisfied and not overburdened.

The ANA, which recently completed a pilot survey on the mature, experienced nurse, would like to offer some answers soon. Results of the survey, which compiled information on and for retiring nurses, are expected to be released soon in the American Journal of Nursing, as well as on the ANA Web site.

Retiree Sharon Dempsay, RN, would welcome more information. The 62-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, resident has been working part time in quality control since she retired in 1999 and is keen to do more to promote nursing-but like many others, she doesn't know where to start. Her idea is to establish a network in her home state that would facilitate retired nurses going to job fairs and school career days, and would encourage the Legislature to recruit and "push the profession back in the limelight," she said.

"I would be very interested in being part of something that would help the nursing profession get back on its feet."

Seasoned faculty

Terry Valiga, Ed.D., RN, director of research and professional development at the National League for Nursing in New York City, also would like to see a more formalized system for engaging retired nurses-especially in education.

For nursing faculty-who are close to 50 years of age on average, according to the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses-the shortage issue is even more critical.

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