Workforce Shortages in the Spotlight

by Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Deputy Commissioner for the Professions

Below: A Special Thank You from Johanna Duncan-Poitier

This special edition of The Update focuses on an issue that has been in the spotlight around the country and around the world: the impending shortage of licensed healthcare professionals. We are starting with an emphasis on the nursing profession, the largest of the licensed professions in New York State and the one with the most serious shortage predicted.

Regulators, professionals, legislators, educators, administrators, and employers alike have drawn attention to the predicted shortage. All agree that a shortage will impact the quality of nursing care specifically and the quality and safety of the healthcare system in general. As you will read inside, the Board of Regents has set an aggressive agenda to define the shortage, weigh its potential impact, and define the solutions and partnerships that can also be extended to other relevant professions.

This will truly require a concerted team effort by all stakeholders. The issue is too complex and far-reaching for any one agency or organization to solve. Factors feeding the shortage include societal shifts (aging population, expanded career opportunities for women), inaccurate projections of need, workplace issues (impact of managed care, working conditions, perceptions of the profession), and a host of issues related to the education, recruitment, and retention of the skilled nurses needed to meet today's healthcare demands.

Consistent with its leadership role in professional regulation and the comprehensive scope of The University of the State of New York, the Board of Regents is reaching out to connect the many stakeholders whose combined efforts can define and implement solutions to the nursing shortage. This is a challenging task, but success--defined by the quality of healthcare--hinges on our combined efforts. Inside, we highlight recent and upcoming activities that target the nursing shortage:

• Excerpts from a Regents report that defined the factors driving the nursing shortage
• Details on the recommendations of the Regents Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Nursing, convened to enlist all stakeholders in defining solutions
• An overview of supply and demand issues in all professions

The current nursing shortage, which is different from those of the past, has been the public focal point of a larger trend that predicts an inadequate supply of professionals in many professions, including pharmacy, respiratory therapy, and physical therapy. The common thread is that there are not enough young people to fill the positions now held by the "Baby Boom" generation.

The greatest impact now and in the near future is likely to be in the health professions. Our work to define solutions has begun with the largest of these professions, and the one in which we may see the most critical and immediate impact--nursing. We recognize, however, that we must also review the labor market for all professions, to assess regulatory issues and their impact on public protection.

Solutions proposed by the Regents Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Nursing will contribute to the State's efforts to avoid a healthcare crisis. Likewise, they will indicate strategies for addressing supply-and-demand issues in other professions. I hope this edition of The Update both informs you and inspires new insights. As always, thank you for your support and your dedication to public protection.

A Special Thank You from Johanna Duncan-Poitier

In the horrifying wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, many licensed professionals contacted us to offer their services to the relief efforts.

While I have come to expect nothing less of New York's outstanding licensed professionals, this outpouring of support was truly heartening to me--and I am sure it was of great comfort to those who were directly impacted.

The terrible images of that day are haunting, but I will also remember your generous offers of assistance and expressions of sympathy. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all within the professional community. Once again, you have demonstrated an abiding commitment to public service.