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Economic Impact Of Nurses
There's a big gap between the number of nurses we have and the number we need
Friday, May 09, 2008 - 01:51 PM
In the WJBF-TV News Channel 6 Medical Report: nurses make up more than half of the healthcare profession...but there's a big gap between the number we have and the number we need. According to the Georgia Hospital Association, Peach State hospitals and nursing homes report 15% vacancy rates for nurses.
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Save This PageAugusta, GA -- In the WJBF-TV News Channel 6 Medical Report: nurses make up more than half of the healthcare profession...but there's a big gap between the number we have and the number we need.
According to the Georgia Hospital Association, Peach State hospitals and nursing homes report 15% vacancy rates for nurses.
One nursing authority says there's another way to look at it: that's a lot of tax money the state is missing out on, because that's a big void in the payroll.
Dr. Lucy Marion, Dean, MCG School Of Nursing: "Nurses are everywhere: nurses are 54% of all the healthcare workforce. We are the largest group, in addition to all they do with healthcare, and if we can grow more nurses and they live all over the area, then they're gonna be neighborhood development factors."
There are 60,000 Registered Nurses in Georgia...producing over $198 million in state income taxes. If Georgia makes up for the projected nursing shortage, it would add another $105 million in state tax dollars.