With 2018 receding into the rearview mirror, it’s time to take a look towards 2019. While you might wish that you could take a moment to relax and kick your shoes off, unfortunately, the nursing industry has no time to wait. It’s no secret that the nursing industry is constantly changing and that it’s a dynamic career that forces nurses to adapt constantly. As the healthcare landscape shifts, it’s important to take a look at the upcoming year. Luckily, we’ve outlined a few crucial nursing trends for 2019 as well as spoke with a nursing professional to go over what the new year could look like. Let’s take a look below at some of the top nursing trends for 2019.
Nursing Trends For 2019
The Nursing Shortage
It’s no surprise that, just like this last year, the nursing shortage is going to be a hot-button issue for the industry. Those involved in the industry know that currently there are simply not enough nurses to cover the gap, which means that nurses should have no problem finding a job, right? Well, not exactly.
We spoke with Heidi Clausen, Director of Recruiting at VOCA, who explained the catch-22 of having little experience but still needing nurses. “There seems to be a trend towards companies needing or wanting specialty nurses. There’s also a catch-22 when we do have new nurses who are going out into the field. Most companies want at least one year in the field in specialties like med/surg or OR, and they’re in such short demand right now that they’re not willing to hire or train these new nurses,” said Clausen.
So, while there will certainly be a good amount of nursing jobs available in 2019, one of the biggest nursing trends for 2019 will be the need for specialty nurses. This might be the ideal time to consider heading back to school to specialize in a nursing role.
LPN to RN Transition
Another one of the top nursing trends for 2019 to be aware of is the growing number of nurses who are transitioning from LPNs to RNs. Clausen says that we can expect more nurses to pursue this new degree for a variety of reasons. Many of these LPNs are opting to move away from direct care jobs in favor of more managerial and hospital facility jobs. A lot of younger nurses have a desire to move up in the industry and are actively looking to pursue more schooling and hands-on experience to do so. Luckily, there are a variety of different resources that will allow nurses to make the LPN to RN transition.
Increased Mentorship Programs
One of the ways that we can combat the issue of inexperienced nurses is to give them more guidance. One of the top nursing trends for 2019 will be an increase in mentorship programs. These programs will pair veteran nurses with newbies in the hopes that the more experienced nurse will pass down knowledge and guidance, so these less experienced nurses get acclimated quickly. If you can’t focus on bringing more nurses in to fill these positions, it’s going to be important to focus on the nurses that you already have. You can expect to see more and more facilities adopting a mentorship program to ensure that their staff is running on all cylinders.
Bilingual Nurses Will Lead the Talent Pool
As the demographics change and the number of languages spoken in the US continues to grow, the ability to speak another language will be a vital asset for those nurses looking for a job. Especially in areas with a large population of diverse citizens, the desire for nurses who speak multiple languages is huge. While it might be hard to learn a completely new language in a few months, it might be a good idea to learn some basic phrasing depending on where your location is.
That wraps up some of the top nursing trends for 2019. If you have any others that you think should be considered, feel free to comment below! Also, if you’re looking for a rewarding career in travel nursing or want to learn more about this exciting adventure, check out the thousands of jobs we have available!
