A Nursing Shortage Paradigm

In previous blog entires, I discussed the nursing shortage crisis. What is the cause? - not enough applicants many perceive. But not everywhere! In many places it is the educational faculty that is at fault. To be a nurse, you must be trained. To train, there must be a nurse educator. Without financial support, and a gap between salaries for practicing nurses in hospitals and nurses who teach in universities, many avert from teaching.

According to an article from Hattiesburgamerican.com by Rachel Liefer, Ms. Liefer states that a microcosm of what is occurring in many places around the country, Mississippi's vacancy rate among nursing faculty currently is 3%, projected to be 23.6% in 2008 and 37% by 2012.

Nursing schools in the United States turned away 15,944 qualified applicants to entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs (RN to BSN) in 2003, according to an American Association of Colleges of Nursing survey. A paradigm: Shortage of nursing faculty leads to a shortage of nurses!

What exactly is the problem and what is the solution? First, teachers are not compensated enough relative to practicing nurses who have both primary and advanced degrees. Second, though previously unstated, many retiring nursing teachers are not being replaced by young nursing teachers because of poor financial incentives.

So the solution: One such option is to use the MD degree program as a guide; become affiliated with a hospital and have practicing nurses teach part time. A second option is to create increased governmental programs as occurring in Mississippi to stipend present and future teachers with added financial support to close the gap between salaries of practicing and teaching nurses. Lastly, accept students into the nursing program who specifically have a desire to teach rather than become practicing nurses.

Michael V. Gruber, MPH - Science and medicine are my passion and writing takes center stage. A contributor to medical blogs with a Masters of Public Health and two years of medical school, a hobby to benefit my current financial consulting position.

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