A nursing shortage occurs when the demand for nursing professionals, such as Registered Nurses (RNs), exceeds the supply locally (e.g., within a health care facility), nationally or globally. It can be measured, for instance, when the nurse-to-patient ratio, the nurse-to-population ratio, the number of job openings necessitates a higher number of nurses than currently available, or the current amount of nurses is above a certain age where retirement becomes an option and plays a factor in staffing making the work force in a higher need of nurses. This situation is observed in developed and developing nations around the world.