Final answer:
Increases in nursing enrollment may not sufficiently counteract the effects of RN retirements or employment changes, due to a resulting leftward shift in the supply curve and higher salaries for nurses, although the total quantity of nurses remains uncertain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the impact of increased nursing enrollments on mitigating the effects of a wave of retirements in the healthcare field. In particular, it is concerned with which category of healthcare professionals' retirements might not be balanced by new nursing enrollments. The correct answer to this question is C) RN retirements or employment changes. In the context provided, it explains that as the demand for nurses increases, there are concerns about the decreasing supply due to a variety of factors, including a significant number of nurses entering retirement. This scenario causes a leftward shift in the supply curve in the market for nurses, leading to higher salaries but an uncertain outcome in terms of the total quantity of nurses available in the workforce.
Despite increases in enrollment, nursing retirements are a critical issue because they represent a loss of experienced professionals in the field, potentially leading to a shortage of skilled nursing professionals. With higher tuition potentially discouraging new entrants, and the existing workforce aging out, a complex challenge emerges for healthcare providers and the education system to address the balance of supply and demand for nurses.