CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The "help wanted" sign continues to be out for nurses in Chicago and across the country.
In Illinois, it's expected that 7,000 registered nurses will graduate this year, but about 10,000 are retiring.
David Coppins is CEO and Co-Founder IntelyCare, a nursing agency based in Massachusetts. He told WBBM that Illinois will see "a shortage of about 15,000 RN's by 2025."
Coppins said part of the problem is that nursing is undervalued.
"There's this perception that nurses are there to hold your hand and take your temperature. The reality is they have deep skills and life-saving skills. The training is very extensive, and there really isn't a healthcare industry without nurses," Coppins said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said the U.S. healthcare system will need to add at least 200,000 new nurses every year through 2026.
Two former U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar II, a Republican, and Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, wrote a piece for Time Magazine this month, saying the federal government should ease restrictions on immigration to get more international nurses hired in the U.S.
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