The Baltimore Business Journal reports that Maryland’s nursing shortage is not easing up as the state faces a projected shortage of “nearly 10,000 registered nurses by 2016, even with conservative estimates.”
Efforts to contain the shortage had lead to a reduction of the vacancy rate in MD from 15.6 percent in 2001 to 9.2 percent in 2004. But according to the article and an August 1, 2007 press release from the Maryland Hospital Association (PDF), the vacancy rate has jumped back up to 13 percent.
Nurses aren’t the only ones in demand. The Association also reports that physical therapists and occupational therapists are in short supply (15% vacancy rate).
Vacancy rates for respiratory therapists aren’t much better at 14.6 percent and for radiographers they stand at 13 percent.
On a positive note, the Association reports that its survey found that ”the average retention rate across all healthcare positions surveyed is nearly 86 percent and for nurses it is nearly 89 percent.”
