The recession may be masking some of the nursing shortage because many health care organization have a hiring freeze. What is that feeling like for those of you who are working under these circumstances?

In the July/August 2009 Health Affairs, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and coauthors still project the nursing shortage will grow to 260, 000 registered nurses by 2025. This shortage would be double the nursing shortage experienced in this country in the mid-1960s.

One of the contributing major factors associated with nursing dissatisfaction is nurses’ relationship with their manager.

I recently conducted a case study of three nurse managers who participated in a Healthcare Leadership Coaching Program. The Nurse Managers took part in an assessment of 15 Leadership Competencies before and after the program. Their staff rated them higher on the leadership competencies after the program.

When nurse managers learn coaching skills they learn to ask questions, believe it the nurses they work with, and encourage and support nurses where they want to go. This could be a tremendous asset to any nursing environment.