|
Feature Article | |
| ||
|
|
Nursing Opportunities There is a crisis in the field of nursing. A critical shortage of nurses is beginning to affect safe patient care. I know I've seen the results of this shortage up close over the past year. The nurses I met were highly competent and dedicated to their patients' needs. They were also extremely frustrated by long hours and lack of support created by consistent understaffing. No one wants to do a bad job, no one wants to make mistakes, and certainly not in dealing with people's lives. But that's what can happen under these conditions. A combination of factors are converging to create this shortage: fewer people entering nursing; more people leaving the field – through retirement or burnout – and more people requiring healthcare as the population ages. According to the Department of Labor, more than 1 million nurses will be needed, and demand for nurses will exceed supply, by 2010. Already, nearly 30 states are estimated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to have shortages of RNs. In response to this shortage, federal and local agencies, as well as nursing schools throughout the US, are instituting policies and programs to attract and retain more nurses. These efforts include nursing education programs, incentives for nursing faculty, and student financial aid in the form of scholarships and loan repayments. Some healthcare facilities are also entering into partnership with nursing schools to extend tuition reimbursement to students in exchange for employment commitments upon graduation. There is opportunity in this crisis for adults seeking a meaningful first or second career. Although there are multiple paths to training as a registered nurse – hospital-based training, two-year college programs or a full four-year BSN – all training leads to the state licensing exam. To maintain quality of care, there is an increasing demand for nurses holding a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN). To meet this demand there are now many RN-to-BSN programs designed for already certified RNs. A few of these programs are now offered online. The most innovative programs are designed for adult learners and career changers. There are part-time programs, offered evenings and weekends. There are more intense, full-time, 12-16 month accelerated BSN programs for adults already holding a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field – second degree programs. Or there is the option for non-nursing bachelor's degree holders to pursue a "generic" professional master's degree in nursing. In these accelerated programs, students are not required to repeat liberal arts courses they've already taken so they can concentrate fully on nursing. The only caveat is that there are prerequisites, including credits in biology and chemistry. Some colleges will offer these courses prior to program entry. Job prospects for accelerated program graduates are bright. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that employers are impressed with the ability, experience and dedication of non-traditional graduates. For a listing of accelerated programs (pdf file): American Association of Colleges of Nursing To see what they're like, here are links to a few sample bachelor's and master's programs: Wayne State University College of Nursing University of Iowa College of Nursing College Misericordia Nursing Department DePaul University Department of Nursing For general information on programs and scholarships: AACN Professional Nursing Network Johnson & Johnson's Discover Nursing 8/03 TOP |
||||||||
Home About NDG Contact Us Privacy
| ||||||||||
