Fewer NPs in England

The number of nurse practitioners in England is declining. Nurse practitioner programs have enrolled fewer and fewer students, ostensibly because there was an overabundance of NPs, and they are facing a shortage as nurse practitioners in their fifties are starting to retire. NP programs are starting to increase their numbers in response to this threat. See the results of the survey here.

Fortnuately, there is a similar increase in NP programs on this side of the pond, and NP numbers are on the rise in the United States. According to a survey by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the American Association of Nursing Colleges, enrollment in NP programs increased 15.8% in 1998. According to the "National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses March 2004: Preliminary Findings" (Health Resources Services Administration, 2005), as of March 2004, there were an estimated 141,209 NPs in the United States, which was an estimated increase of 38,560 from 2000.

And with the new Doctorate in Nursing Practice programs as well as clinical internships and residencies, NPs have even more options for advancing their education. This is good news for the U.S. health care industry, which can benefit greatly from increased numbers of nurse practitioners.