Why is There a Shortage of Registered Nurses?

The average age of a Registered Nurse in the United States is forty seven years. Comparably only CEO's of major companies and senior grade officers in the military average approximately that same age range according to several studies conducted over the past five years. Of course there are others but these comparisons bring into focus the importance and impact the nursing shortage will have on our society. Numerically there just are not that many CEO's or senior grade military officers in this country. There are not many Registered Nurses either. And their age is showing.

Statistically, if the situation remains unchanged, there will not be enough nurses to take care of aging Baby Boomers much less future generations of the populace. And if there are not enough caregivers for the Baby Boomer generation who will be there to care for Generation X? and so on? There are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed right now in order that some sort of solution be found in time.

For example;
Who should worry, and why?
Who or what entity is in charge of looking into the nursing shortage?
How will the nursing shortage affect hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics over time?
Why aren't young people pursuing nursing as a career?
What are the qualifications to become a nurse?
Can we make it easier to become a nurse?
Is it wise to make it easier to become a nurse?
Are there any other fields in the health care industry that can replace the nurse as the cargiver?