Among its members, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) includes such nations as Italy, Japan, Korea, and the United States. Within these countries (and the numerous other members of the OECD) there has been great concern over the lack of skilled health-care professionals, and in particular, nurses. Currently, many member nations have to effectively import nurses from all over the world in other to fill the rapidly increasing demand for these important professionals. This 58-page report on the nature of such nurse shortages was authored by Steven Simoens, Mike Villeneuve, and Jeremy Hurst and was released to the public in early 2005. Not surprisingly, the report notes that current nurse shortages exist in almost all OECD countries and that current nurse shortages seem "to be caused by fewer young people entering the workforce, a greater range of professional opportunities open to young people, the low social value given to nursing, negative perceptions of nurse working conditions and an ageing nurse workforce." The report concludes with some helpful policy suggestions, including the observation that a variety of mixed incentives (including innovative approaches to nurse education) may ameliorate the situation.