World Health Organization (2014) reported that between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years old will double from about 11% to 22%. The number of people aged 60 years and over is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion over the same period. In the United states it is projected that there will be an increase of 18 % between 2000-2020, as consequence there will be 50 million who will need healthcare services.
The population growth in SA is considered the highest in the world with rate of 3.3% and the population is estimated to be 29,994,272 person in 2013 based on the 2010 census in 2010. Further , the increase in life expectancy from age 69 years in 1990 to 76 years in 2012 among the Saudi population and (World Health Organization 2013).The same population increase trend is observed in developing and under developing countries. Consistent with the growing population (Amos,2015) articulated is the growing demand for nursing care by increased number of hospitalized patients who are older and more acutely ill, a growing elderly population with multiple chronic health problems, home care, occupational health and surgical …show more content…
(2001) explained is due to greater career opportunities available to women, who are the predominant gender in nursing. Exacerbating the issue is that hospitals employ nurses with at least a baccalaureate degree and the nursing pipeline is on the decline. Globally the nursing workforce (Erickson & Grove, 2007; Peterson, 2001b pointed out is ageing with fewer young people entering the profession to replace the large number of baby boomers due to retire in the coming decade). Other causes of the nursing shortage include nurse short-staffing, poor work conditions, inadequate resources for nursing research and education, the increasing complexity of health care and care technology