Healthcare Careers
Despite a slowdown with the economic recession, employment in health care has continued to grow. In fact, the health-care industry is increasingly alarmed about the shortage of skilled hospital staff.
The industry is expected to grow an average of 1.9% each year from 2007 to 2017 (Washington State Employment Security Department). For three straight years, job vacancies in hospitals have remained high or increased, most notably in nursing, imaging, rehabilitation, operating rooms, and laboratory departments (2008 Hospital Work Force Survey, Washington State Hospital Association/Health Workforce Institute, June 2009).
The gap between the number of skilled workers that are needed and the number available is expected to grow. The state will need thousands of new doctors, nurses, technicians and assistants as the population gets older and the demand for health care increases. According to the Health Work Force Institute, the state will have a shortage of 24,000 Registered Nurses by 2020.
One issue is that too many hospital workers are reaching retirement age. The average age of a nurse in Washington state is 48. Nearly one-quarter of our doctors are over 60.
©2010 Map Your Career is an initiative of the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County.