Editorial

Health care workers in short supply

Monday, May 19, 2008

If you're not already worried enough about the retirement of the Baby Boom generation, there's a new issue of concern.

Just as many of us may require more medical care, Nebraska is facing a shortage of health care workers. You see, many of them are Baby Boomers themselves.

Keith Muller, an administrator of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health, told university regents on Friday that more than half of the state's health professionals are between the ages of 46 and 65. Over the next 20 years, they'll be moving into retirement.

It's especially bad in the field of government health workers, according to a recent survey, which found that the average age of a Nebraska-employed health worker is 49, the national average is 47, and the average new hire in Nebraska is 42 years of age.

The problem especially has manifested itself at the Beatrice State Development Center, home to 300 developmentally disabled patients, most of whom are mentally retarded.

Largely because of staffing problems, many cases of alleged abuse and neglect have been uncovered, and the center could lose $29 million in federal funding.

Regardless of their future employer, it's clear that qualified health care workers will have little trouble finding good jobs -- even at government-run facilities which are having to boost salaries to fill positions.

Recent high school graduates and underclassmen considering career choices may be wise to look into the health care field.

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