Is there a nationwide shortage of nurses?It?s hard to say.However,some characteristic symptoms often indicate that there is indeed a shortage.

　　One symptom is the vacancy rate,or the percentage of budgeted positions that are unfilled.New England?s hospitals currently report that an average of 7 to 12 percent of their registered nurse positions are vacant,the highest level since the last shortage in the late 1980s.Vermont has a relatively low vacancy rate,at 7.8 percent.But its vacancies were at 1.2 percent just five years ago.

　　Another symptom is the increased use of stopgap measures to fill empty positions.For instance,many nurses report an upswing in how frequently they are asked to stay past their shifts.According to Murphy,working in the St.Elizabeth?s Hospital,“The shortage has definitely created a lot of opportunities of overtime for our nurses,whether they want them or not.” Similarly,a national survey of registered nurses shows that in an average week,nurses in the U.S.work 2.4 more hours than they are scheduled to.Much of this extra time is voluntary,as nurses earn overtime pay when they stay to fill in blanks in the schedule.

　　When they can?t fill open positions by more traditional means,health care providers hire temporary staff to tide them over.Traveling workers are the largest part of the temporary health care workforce,hired for thirteen-week reduction at health care facilities facing short-term lack of workers.Temporary workers,mainly nurses,cost hospitals $7.2 billion in 2000.

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