Study Finds Surge in Young Nurses Over Last Decade

A surge in young nurses may ease forecasts of coming shortages as their baby-boomer coworkers retire.

Researchers reported Monday that the past decade brought a 62 percent increase in the number of younger registered nurses entering the workforce.

A young influx is noteworthy, considering at least 900,000 of the nation's roughly 3 million nurses are older than 50 and thus nearing retirement. But it's not clear if the rise in young nurses will last long enough to meet coming demands of an aging society.

The study was reported in the journal Health Affairs.

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