SHIPPENVILLE, Pa. — Many years ago my parents were in an auto accident resulting in significant injuries and were admitted to an Intensive Care Unit. Our family congregated at the hospital, and we heard reports like lacerations, broken bones, cardiac contusions, low blood pressure, chest pains – the list was endless.

To say we experienced panic, fear, and uncertainty would be mild. My mother was the worst with an already existing cardiac condition. She had low blood pressure, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. Many physicians informed us of their condition, but they were very busy and only stayed for a couple of minutes. It was the nurses who were constantly providing care and checking on their conditions. They not only cared for our parents, but they cared for us, also.

They helped us, the family, to hold onto sanity.

On one very challenging day, my mother’s condition was grave, and I was not able to maintain composure. I will never forget one amazing nurse who took me to a separate quiet room and let me cry, and then she started talking to me from her heart.

She said, “Yes things look black right now, but the human spirit is amazing, and your mother is still alive. It is not over until it is over.”

My mother lived for 10 more years. Without the nursing staff, we would not have survived the ordeal.

If this level of care was not available because of a nursing shortage, it would be devastating. The nursing shortage is real, and Northwest Pennsylvania is now experiencing this on all levels, especially in Clarion County and those counties surrounding Clarion.

The United States has experienced a nursing shortage of different degrees for years. The healthcare team provides care on many levels including nurse aides, LPNs, and RNs. All of these positions are experiencing shortages. Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare industry labor force. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 1.2 million vacancies will exist between 2014 to 2025, and this part of Pennsylvania has many open positions in all levels – aides, LPNs, and RNs.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, with registered nurses, the supply has increased. By 2030, because of unequal distribution, some areas will have a surplus and others a shortage. For example, in 2030 in California there is a projected shortage of 44,500 RN’s, but in Florida, there may be a surplus of 53,700.

In the licensed practical nursing category, the projected shortage by 2030 in Pennsylvania will be 18,700 nurses annually.

Currently, in Northwest Pennsylvania, many agencies have open LPN positions.

Both RNs and LPNs provide patient care in many settings including ambulatory care clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, hospice, and home health agencies, urgent care facilities, physician offices, and school nurses to identify a few. When there is a shortage, it creates difficulty throughout the healthcare community.

The education of a licensed practical nurse consists of one-year training following high school. They must pass the State Board of Nursing exam following the year of intense education. LPNs are educated at a lower cost and more quickly than RNs. The LPN education is more clinically based, which means they work closely with patients at the bedside. In long-term care, they administer medication and complete treatments.

The registered nurse education could be achieved in a four-year bachelor’s degree, a two-year associate degree, or a Diploma. RNs perform the more complex and analytical portions of healthcare. They may also achieve advanced practice. Completion of the state licensing exam is also a requirement for RNs.

Individuals who have a desire to help others can investigate the health care field. Don’t let your doubts or fears hold you back. You can become an amazing nurse.

The nursing profession has traditionally been populated by females, but the non-traditional nurse, the male, is a very welcomed member of the profession. The male nurse is a treasure, and there are many working in Clarion and the surrounding counties.

In national surveys over the last decade, nursing has been chosen as the most trustworthy profession. This is a great honor. The nursing profession – LPNs and RNs – need interested individuals to apply to nursing schools to decrease the shortage.

Become a nurse. Enter the most trusted profession. Help others. Become that amazing nurse who will never be forgotten.

(Written by Ann Stanonis-Manes, RN, MSN, Practical Nursing Coordinator at the Clarion County Career Center.)