The need for nurses has skyrocketed in recent years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, at the beginning of the 21st century, registered nurses (RNs) made up the largest health-care occupation in the United States, with 2.2 million jobs. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) held about 700,000 jobs. Nursing assistants (NAs) held about 1.4 million jobs, psychiatric aides about 65,000 jobs, and home-health aides about 615,000 jobs. Employment opportunities are expected to continue to grow in the coming years. Retiring nurses will need to be replaced. There will be a rapidly growing population of older people, who tend to experience more-serious illness and other health-related difficulties than do younger patients, and thus require more assistance through nursing and other medical resources. Growing emphasis will be placed on preventive medicine, which will also fuel the growth in jobs.
