Nursing Education

Background

Projections show there will be a national shortage of nurses in the next 8 to 10 years if nothing is done to alleviate the pressures that are driving nurses out of the profession and entice young people into choosing nursing as a career. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects that, absent aggressive intervention, the supply of nurses in America will fall 36 percent (more than 1 million nurses) below requirements by the year 2020. This report, What is Behind HRSA's Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses?, is available online at: ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/workforce/behindshortage.pdf. HRSA also projects that, if recent trends continue, the number of RNs leaving the workforce will outpace those entering the profession by 2016.

In the last few years, there has been an increased interest by students in the nursing profession however, a ccording to The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), survey data from academic year 2006-2007 showed that nursing colleges and universities denied admission to 42,866 qualified applicants. The data is based on responses from 600 schools which show that enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by 7 percent from 2005 to 2006. The top reasons for not accepting applications to entry-level baccalaureate programs included insufficient faculty (71%), and admission seats filled (74%).

Other data released:

The National League for Nursing (NLN) released a preliminary report on December 9, 2005 which estimated that schools of nursing with entry-level baccalaureate, associate, and diploma programs were forced to reject more than 147,000 qualified applicants for 2005. This was an 18 percent increase over the previous year's figures. www.nln.org

In FY 2005, HRSA was forced to turn away 82 percent of the applicants for the Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) due to lack of funding. This means that 3,662 RNs interested in working in facilities deemed to have a critical shortage of nurses were not accepted. See: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/loanrepay.htm

Similarly, in FY 2005, HRSA turned away 94 percent of the applicants for the Nursing Scholarship Program due to lack of adequate funding. This means that more than 6,000 students interested in nursing were turned away from this program. See: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/default.htm

A number of states have introduced a variety of legislative approaches to address this critical issue, much of which has included appropriations to either create a new nursing education program or to expand capacity of an existing program. Given that a faculty shortage has resulted in many interested students being placed on hold, some states have introduced nursing scholarships and / or loan forgiveness programs to entice nurses to become faculty. Due to the volume and vastness of legislative approaches, which in many cases are not specific to nursing education, this report will provide information about those bills that pertain to nursing education and faculty recruitment only.

Enacted in 2007

  • The following are those states which enacted legislation committing funds to help infuse more nurses into the health care system through scholarships, loan forgiveness programs, and expansion of nursing education programs by increasing faculty and / or physical facilities): AL, AR, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IA, KS, LA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT VA, WA, WV.

Initiatives vary grealty in depth and breadth amd include:

The "South Carolina Critical Needs Nursing Initiative Act" includes establishment of  a fund to increase the number of qualified nurses in this state by creating new nursing faculty positions with salary enhancements; providing for additional nursing student scholarships, loans, and grants; establishing the office for health care workforce research to analyze health care workforce supply and demand, and providing for the use of simulation technology and equipment in the education of nurses.

Texas enacted legislation that creates a hospital-based nursing education partnership grant program. It includes use of professional nursing shortage reduction program grants to encourage clinical nursing instruction by part-time faculty at public or private institutions of higher education.

North Dakota enacted legislation establishing a nursing education consortium with provisions for mobile clinical nursing simulation laboratories.

For a more comprehensive report of state support for nursing education in 2007.

Introduced in (2007)

Attempts to expand or elevate nursing education requirements has also been evident, but without passage.

  • RNs Required to Attain a Bachelors Degree within ten years of initial licensure (NY and NJ ) Introduced first in NY in 2005, this legislation is beginning to gain some momentum.
  • Mandatory Continuing Education was attempted in NY (45 hours every three years for RN re-registration) VA (mandatory CE for RNs and LPNs to renew licenses) and NV introduced legislation that would require 6 credits of education in geriatrics / gerontology for initial licensure in several health professions, including RNs.

States  currently mandating continuing education for RNs

A summary of education legislation enacted between 2002-2006


Last updated 1/4/08

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to include all legislation enacted, but omissions are possible.