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More NHS Doctors and Nurses Needed in the UK

18 August 2016, 16:33 CET

There was a time when almost every child, when asked, would say they wanted to be a doctor, nurse, attorney or fireman when they grew up and somehow nurses and doctors don’t seem to be as exciting as they once were.

If you are wondering why, it’s probably mum and dad being unhappy with the state of the medical profession as it now stands. Of course we all know the reason why toddlers have hero worship is because they are fed fantasies by well-meaning mothers and fathers who want their children to grow up to be financially successful. Unfortunately, the medical profession is anything but profitable at the moment and perhaps that’s why the NHS is so desperately in need of doctors and nurses.

The UK and the USA Both in Critical Need of Doctors and Nurses

In a recent report published on the BBC News website, the shortage of qualified doctors and nurses has prompted the NHS to begin actively recruiting medical staff from countries abroad. In fact, in the UK the shortage is so severe that the industry is lacking about 10% of the workforce. In fact, the number of nurses alone that are needed numbers almost 25,000. It’s hard to wrap your head around that figure in a country that is so small both geographically as well as in population. Nonetheless, that figure is real and one that should be carefully analyzed. Why and how did this happen?

The News Is No Better on the Other Side of the Pond

If figures were to be analyzed coming from the United States, you would see that the news is no better on that side of the pond. For some reason the medical profession has lost its allure but probably the biggest reason is the rising cost of healthcare. People are simply disenchanted by the amount of money they need to pay for services that have become cold and impersonal. Yes, medicine is a business but it is also a business that deals with ‘customers’ who are hurting in one way or another.

The question is, with so many boomers hitting senior status and an even bigger generation behind them soon to begin hitting middle age if they’re not already there, why is there such a shortage of doctors and nurses? Part of the reason why there are not enough trained medical professionals is because of the fact that the economy has bottomed out more times than you’ve got fingers and toes within the past century.

Easier Ways to Obtain a Degree Should Attract Interest

The cost of getting a bachelor’s in science is through the roof and the cost of med school is beyond human comprehension. However, there is a solution to that if you take the time to investigate your options. Now it is possible to get a degree online at schools such as Bradley University at a portion of the cost as in a brick-and-mortar on-campus education. This means that the door is now open to more students interested in a career in medicine. Once a nurse is licensed as an RN, he/she can study to be a doctor in nursing practice, moving himself or herself up the ladder while working. There is no reason to take a sabbatical and lose money if they can study online while holding down their jobs.

Spread the Good News

For so many years all little children wanted to grow up to be a doctor or a nurse. Since that no longer seems to be the case for one reason or another, there needs to be a bigger attempt to attract students. Marketing should focus on the availability of online curriculum such as getting a DNP online. No, it may not attract new students immediately to become RNs but when the availability of graduate studies online that are cost effective, an increasing number of young people might see a potential for future growth.

One final thought is all about word of mouth advertising. If you want to attract new talent, the staff you have needs to maintain their excitement. Nothing can attract attention quite as much as a worker that is happy with what he/she does. Keep your staff happy by investing in their future and they will draw new talent like flies to honey.

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