Demand for nurses shrinking after years of shortage worries

The demand for nurses is shrinking after years of shortage worries, reports The Washington Post. The fragile economy has limited, but not frozen, new hires at hospitals. Some nurses are delaying retirement, while others forced to return to work for financial reasons are crowding the job market. However, acute care and emergency rooms still need qualified nurses.

In related news, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that while healthcare shows an increase in hiring for March, preliminary seasonally adjusted data shows that the number of hospital workers decreased by 700 last month. Overall, the healthcare sector added 13,500 jobs in March, down from an average growth of 30,000 jobs a month in 2008. Ambulatory care services, including doctors' offices, added 3,200 positions.

For more information:
- see this Washington Post story
- also see The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report

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