Whatever your current job role, keeping up with trends in nursing will ensure your career maintains an upward trajectory. Why? Because the nursing industry is constantly changing. And that's important for you to know, especially if you're looking to apply to new jobs or thinking of getting into a specialty. Knowing the trends can help you prepare for what's ahead. In this blog post, we'll highlight five current trends in nursing in 2021. Whether you are a hospital nurse or working in a nursing facility, these five trends in nursing will have a significant impact on your life.
Trends to Watch in the Nursing Job Market
Trend #1 Online Education Programs Will Increase in Popularity.
Thinking of going back to finish your degree, but don't have the time? An online nursing program may be the right fit for you. And online nursing programs are booming right now--and there's a good reason for it. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended increasing the number of BSN-holders in the nursing field to 80% by 2020. On the heels of this, New York announced in 2018 that nurses would be required to earn a BSN within ten years of becoming licensed. And other states are quickly following suit.
These changes, plus the demand for more nurses due to the pandemic, have pushed many to pursue advanced degrees. And online nursing programs have made it easier and more convenient for working adults to do just that. Online programs enable you to continue to meet your real-life obligations while earning your degree.
If you're worried about the quality of your education via online learning, you shouldn't. Remote learning for your RN or RN-BSN is becoming increasingly popular and will continue to be so, and many people find success with these programs. For example, Achieve Test Prep, an online college-bridge company that allows you to test-out of prerequisites, boasts an over 93% success rate.
Why online nursing? Online nursing programs are not only flexible; they are often convenient and affordable too. You can continue to work and balance your family life while you study to earn your degree. And healthcare employers encourage online education too. After all, with a more educated workforce, patients and communities benefit too.
Online nursing programs will continue to grow more commonplace. If you're a nurse who holds an ADN or professional certificate, you can pursue your RN to BSN from the comfort of your home. Nurses seeking master's or doctoral degrees also find success with online learning.
Trend #2 Increasing Numbers of Men Entering the Nurse Workforce
Nursing is mainly woman-dominated, but that may be changing. In the United States, women make up 91% of all nurses or about 3.2 million nurses. Men, on the other hand, make up roughly 9% of nurses. Although this number seems small, it is a 660% increase in the total number of male nurses since 1981. Not only that, the share of ethnic males nurses has surpassed the number of female ethnic nurses, an ongoing trend. As the global shortage of nurses continues, more health care organizations will shift their focus to recruiting more men to the field in 2021 and beyond.
Trend #3: The Rise of Telemedicine
Telemedicine (also telehealth) has been around for years but exploded last year during the pandemic. 2020 changed the way we interacted with healthcare, especially when it came to doctor's visits. A whopping 20% of all medical visits were conducted virtually in 2020. Revenue for telemedicine is expected to triple by 2023. With telehealth, doctors or nurses can be accessed via virtual appointments, saving time for patients and medical staff. Telehealth allows patients to schedule appointments, set reminders for medication administration, and search for specialists in their area.
Trend #4 Steady Growth in the Number of Nurse Practitioners
Answering the call for more accessible healthcare, nurse practitioners began to practice beyond hospital rooms to other sites in the community. This migration led to a 20% increase in the number of nurse practitioners by 1999. Since then, the number of nurse practitioners has increased by 300%! And their areas of practice are just as varied as their numbers.
Nurse Practitioners, by the Number
- Over half (54.5%) work in family practice
- 19% work in adult care
- 5% in work pediatric care
- 3% work in mental health care
- 1% work in neonatal care
- 1% work in oncology care
With so many nurse practitioners (NPs) going into family practice, the demand for NPs in other areas is high. The number of NPs is expected to grow, especially in adult and mental care, in 2021 and beyond.
Trend #5 Nurses Will Make More Money.
In 2019, nurses made an average salary of $73,300. For nursing that worked at hospitals, the average salary was even higher at $79,400. This average number is about 2K higher than it was in 2018 and growing.
Compared to the national average salary a year, which sits at $53,000, the average RN makes more than 20K more than the average American worker. As the demand for nurses increases, the average salaries will only continue to climb.
Earn Your RN Degree with Achieve Test Prep
The outlook for the nursing field continues to look bright in 2021 and beyond, which is good news for those pursuing their RN or RN-BSN...and Achieve Test Prep can help.
Achieve Test Prep is a college bridge company that helps you earn your nursing prerequisites using Credit-by-Exam. Our 4-6 week online exam prep courses are designed to help you pass your CLEP, DSST, or ECE exams, so you can earn college credits without sitting in a classroom. With our program, you can knock out a course in 4-6 weeks compared to the average 16 weeks offered at most colleges. Our program makes it easier for you to finish your degree faster without giving up your work and family commitments.
Interested in learning more? Talk to one of our advisors today and see if Achieve Test Prep is the right fit for you.
