While the general projection for growth in the healthcare sector over the next decade or two continues, perennial problems like oversupply for certain services and personnel shortages in others continue to change the landscape for new nurses seeking jobs, mid-career individuals looking for a change without changing careers, and nursing students selecting a program like Grand Canyon University nursing. If you're looking at entering the job market within the next couple of years, here's what you should know about the trends that are emerging in 2020.

Skilled Nursing Roles Continue To See Increased Demand

Skilled nursing roles in specific areas of medicine require extra professional development and often a BSN instead of an RN qualification, but they also provide rewarding benefits and long-term career mobility. Many skilled nurses go into nursing management, teaching, or even LPN programs as their careers mature. Today's market for skilled nursing is changing, though.

• Hospital and surgical services are in high demand, leading to a need for more staff in every role from physician's assistants OR nurses.

• National nursing care facility staffing shortages continue a strong overall demand for nurses in long-term care facilities, but regional oversupply does exist in certain areas

• A continuing bottleneck in available staff due to education and an aging workforce is likely to strengthen these trends through the year

What does this mean? Simply put, it means that even if there is an oversupply when it comes to nursing care facility services in your community, there's likely to be a large enough shortfall in staffing to create available positions. It also means the demand for nurses operating in outpatient hospital services will be on the rise, as well as those serving in traditional inpatient hospital environments. In addition to those trends, the shortfall in graduating class populations will continue to drive demand across the board in many areas.

Paths To Your Nursing Career

For those looking at long-term career development, options like the Grand Canyon University of Nursing accessible education with a strong track record when it comes to candidate placement in the niches that are currently seeing a growth in demand.

With an accelerated RN to BSN path for nurses already in the profession, the program's model is built around helping candidates acquire the skills and training needed to move into those high-demand jobs that are currently experiencing shortfalls in staffing due to a limited pool of applicants. Grand Canyon's program offers a BSN in as little as 12 months if you are already an RN, and there are other paths to a degree for those who are looking to enter the career for the first time, too.

Tips For Finding Your Ideal Program

While there are consistent national standards for nursing excellence promoted by industry and professional associations, local protocols and legal stipulations do make it a good idea to enroll in a program that's at least in the same state where you want to work. Even if you don't need to do it for certification's sake, being local to the job market makes you a less expensive hire for many employers, and your school is likely to have the most solid professional networking and connections to institutions in its vicinity.

If you're looking for a program with strong online options, it's a good idea to check out where their graduates wind up so you can find one that will aim you at the employers you want to work for once you graduate. Your choice of programs is the beginning of your nursing career in many ways, not just a prerequisite for it. Similarly, if you're expanding your credentials, the program you choose will set the trajectory for the next phase of your career.