Aureus Medical shares travel nursing update: What’s driving the demand for nurse practitioners?

Omaha, NE (February 15, 2016) - Nurse practitioners fill a valuable role in the healthcare industry. With Master's degrees or higher, individuals in this profession offer exceptional and unique care by taking a holistic approach. Travel nursing jobs leader, Aureus Medical Group, discusses the demand for nurse practitioners.

NP services include anything from disease prevention to health counseling, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, so it's no wonder they're in such high demand. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated jobs in this field will grow 31 percent by 2024, which is much faster than the national average. Learn more about what factors are driving the demand for NPs:

Primary care shortagesResearch published by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation explained that primary care shortages are affecting approximately 58 million Americans. Experts expect the problem to only worsen in the coming years as the population grows and baby boomers age. NPs are in high demand as they offer an effective method for filling this shortage.

Not only do these nurses deliver high-quality primary care, but it takes less time to train individuals in this career than it does doctors. Specifically, NPs can complete their education in six years whereas physicians must go through 10 to 11 years of schooling.

Furthermore, primary care shortage is especially problematic in rural areas, and NPs are stepping up to fill this gap. As the National Rural Health Association explained, the ratio of doctors to patients is critically low. Only 10 percent of physicians work in rural locations, but 25 percent of the overall U.S. population resides in these geographical areas. At the same time, rural locations are faced with unique healthcare needs and obstacles. For instance, alcohol and tobacco use, both of which come with an array of health complications, are higher in non-metropolitan environments. According to the Community Catalyst, NPs are more likely than physicians to work in these locations, demonstrating that they're ready to answer to the higher demand for primary care. Travel nurses especially are valuable for this purpose, as they can move into communities with the highest need for care.

Influx of ER visitsAccording to the AANP, NPs help lower healthcare costs, mainly because NPs boost well-being so much that patients spend less time in hospitals and have fewer emergency room visits. In fact, reducing ER visits was one of the goals under Obamacare, as it lowers pressure on ER professionals.

However, this decrease didn't happen, due largely to primary physician shortages. A poll of emergency physicians conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians found that ER visits have increased since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Moreover, 90 percent of respondents said the severity of the illnesses or injuries of patients going to the ER has either stayed the same or worsened from past years.

Read the full article for more on what’s driving the demand for nurse practitioners.

About Aureus Medical Group:

Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide.  With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire.  Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years.