Matching HRM Needs And People: Labour Market Assessment Essay

Individuals appear to be very important in the labour market, as they are the ones who decide on entering the labour force, or what occupation they decide to enter. However, before these individuals enter the labour force, they seek information on the constancy of the labour market in which they plan to enter. This would depend on the type of work they wish to occupy, the education and training that they had experienced, and the location where they wish to enter the labour force. Thus, there is a need to assess first the labour market, and gather information on the labour demand and supply, to have an idea on what benefits and opportunities would be available for an individual, searching for a nursing job in California.

Demand for labour

The demand for registered nurses in California is said to increase by 2% each year, which is said to outpace the supply by the year 2020 (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.3). As of now, however, there is increasing demand for specialized nurses, especially in California, Florida, and New York. California is the topmost city with the highest job vacancies for nurses, as there are 10,900 job vacancies; while Florida has 7,400 job vacancies; and New York has 6,300 job vacancies (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.6). The overall demand for nurses lands at 2.3 million, with an increase of 2% for each year (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.10). By now, about 18% of the available hospitals in California had reported high demand for registered nurses (University of California San Francisco, 2013). Between now and in 2020, it was forecasted that there will be an available of 700,000 openings for nurses (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.9). This is because of the shortage of registered nurses in the area of labor and delivery, operating room, cardiovascular operating room, the pediatric/newborn intensive care unit, the cardiovascular intensive care unit, and those serving in the emergency room.

Supply for labour

California will soon experience a shortage of nurses by 2020, when the number of registered nurses under the age of 30 will decrease in number as more nurses retire (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.3). California has the largest population of registered nurses, which covers about 10% of the overall number of registered nurses in the U.S. (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.8). This will continue to grow, as there is an expected 700,000 job openings for qualified registered nurses between 2014 and 2020 (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.9). This is because 90% of long-term care facilities are in need of registered nurses that would provide the patients with basic care. Although the employers do all they can to attract and retain the experienced staff, however, two-thirds of all the nurses had thought about quitting their job in 2013 due to high levels of stress (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.9). Still, although the demand increases from 2.3 million, the supply of 2.2 million steadily decreases (U.S. nursing labor market report, 2014, sl.10).

Recommendation

In times of job replacement, it is highly recommended that the work be adjusted or modified by opening more slots in the area of labor and delivery, the operating room, the intensive care unit, and the emergency room. The demand is expected to increase because of the aging population and by 2030, more than 8 million people in California will reach the age of 65 and older (Spetz et al., 2008, pp.12-13). The workforce has to be expanded further.

References:

Spetz, J., Rickles, J., Dyer, W., Hailer, L., & Ong, P. (2008). California’s nursing labor force: Demand, supply, and shortages. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.futurehealth.ucsf.edu/Content/29/2008-06_Californias_Nursing_Labor_Force_Demand_Supply_and_Shortages.pdf.
U.S. nursing labor market report. (2014). PowerPoint. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.slideshare.net/IdentifiedRecruit/the-us-nursing-labor-market-report-2014.