Nursing may have changed significantly since the 1960s and 1970s when it was one of the few career options open to young women but as the baby boomer generation ages, the occupation has retained its nationwide demand for new recruits. Amy Dwyer has spent around 30 years in nursing having originally been inspired by Helen Wells' series of 1950s, 1960s and 1970s novels featuring the intrepid nurse Cherry Ames, the Leader Telegram reports. For her generation, nursing was "big for a lot of young women" and one of the few occupations that readily welcomed to accept working female graduates. Attitudes - and indeed the work of nurses - may have changed and evolved, but the demand for new graduates remains strong because the population is getting older and many existing staff are approaching retirement. "Another factor is that medical advances continue to occur, which makes the need for nurses even greater," Ms Dwyer said. She added that those considering the profession need to combine a scientific knowledge base along with high-tech skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 2.5 million registered nurses in 2006. By 2016, the occupation is expected to grow by 23%.  |