What is in store for Travel Nurses in 2017? Well, lots more opportunities for great travel assignments all over our beautiful country is at the top of list!​
Patient populations will continue to grow as the Baby Boomers age and require more medical care.There are presently 2-3 million patients aging in to the Medicare system annually.The demand for nurses is expected to continue to grow until at least 2025. A recent survey also shows that 62% of nurses working now will be retiring in the next 3 years.
Advanced Practice Nursing will continue to grow as the need for Nurse Practitioners (NP), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM), and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) increases. APN's must complete a master's degree in nursing (MS/MSN) or a doctorate degree in nursing (DNSc, DNP, PhD). These APN's will play a larger role in rural areas where physicians are not so accessible, as well as in clinical and outpatient settings.APN's can practice in long term care facilities, hospitals, private offices, clinics, communities, schools and other settings.
Technology will continue to grow exponentially. The availability of information online increases daily and the software and apps will continue to make more date available right from your smart phone. Many of the new apps are also designed to work offline so that internet access is not necessary to facilitate use. Telemedicine technology which consists of collaborative health networks, facilities, and organizations that are dedicated to the acquisition, processing, storage, retrieval and exchange of information in order to promote better patient care and better health. Access to all the information for a patient offers convenience and can help lower costs as well as improve communication between patients and their professional caregivers.
The biggest trend in healthcare today is the transition from volume-based healthcare to value-based healthcare.Quantity over quality will no longer be acceptable. With the costs of healthcare always increasing due to overall waste and overspending, changing to a value approach will put the patient back at the center of influence. If a provider or facility does not provide the quality of care which meets standards provided they may incur penalties and financial consequences.
There may not be any earth-shattering developments in the travel nursing industry during 2017 but the need for qualified and caring travel nurses will continue to grow. RN's will be taking more and more responsibilities in the coming years due to shortages of physicians as well. More education can always help you get the better assignment so we suggest you continue to improve your skills and further your education always.
Check out our Job Board if you would like to see what's available today. New jobs are posted daily and there are plenty of great opportunities waiting for you!
Mary Crawford, HealthCare Employment Network
