The Shortage of Nurses in the United States

Abstract

tions for the future. The question of the nation's supply of nurses has been widely discussed since World War II. Initial governmental intervention to encourage expansion of the nursing supply occurred in mental health in 1946 and in general nurse training in the mid-195os. The Health Professions Education Assistance Act of 1963 was a major step by the federal government to commit funds to health professions training. This act was the result of numerous studies conducted in the late 1940S and 1950S stressing the inadequate supply of health manpower. Following the report of the Surgeon General's Consultant Group on Nursing, which recommended increased support to nursing education, the Nurse Training Act of 1964 was passed. During the subsequent decade, a significant increase in both the nation's supply of nurses and in nurses' educational preparation occurred. From 1971 to the present the question of federal support to nursing has been debated in the executive and legislative branches of government. The Nixon administration's attempt to impound nursing appropriations was followed by President Ford's pocket veto of the Nurse Training Act, followed again by President Carter's pocket veto in 1978 and his proposal to rescind monies already approved. In early 1980 President Carter and his