There’s no denying that the economic struggles in the U.S. have made it difficult for some professionals to find work, and that the U.S. unemployment rate remains high. Despite these trends, careers in the medical field continue to be highly regarded for their stability and long-term demand. Registered nurses are an excellent example of how nurse employment opportunities are defying national trends and are still providing well-trained, qualified staff with employment in hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities.

There are an estimated 2.6 million RN’s in the U.S. alone—and those numbers are expected to grow by almost half a million more over the next 7 years. Approximately 60% of nurses are employed in acute care settings, but those numbers are expected to shift as individual nurse employment decisions shift away from hospitals. Trends show that RN’s are now beginning to look for jobs with more regular hours and less stress. (more…)