The nursing shortage in Michigan and the country has become
critical.
A recent report to the Michigan House Health Policy Committee
states that Michigan’s demand for registered nurses
(RNs) is expected to exceed supply by 7,000 nurses in 2010.
There will be a shortage of 18,000 nurses by 2015, according
to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth.
Eastern Michigan University’s School of Nursing
is expanding its programs to provide some much needed help
to ease the situation.
 |
IV CHECK: This Eastern Michigan University
nursing
student hangs an IV bag of a mock patient in the
School of Nursing's Skill Lab. The School of Nursing
is
expanding its programs to combat a nursing shortage
in the state of Michigan. |
“I applaud our nursing faculty for increasing opportunities
for an additional 102 students in 2009. The recent 94-percent
pass rate performance on the NCLEX exam shows we have an
excellent program,” said EMU President Susan Martin.
“With the support of President Susan Martin, the
provost and faculty, in 2009 we are increasing our pre-licensure
placements from 80 to 112; that’s a 40-percent increase,” said
Betty Beard, interim director of the EMU School of Nursing. “We
also are increasing the number of students in our RN-to-BSN
program from 58 to 128 students. That’s 140 percent!
We’re going full speed ahead!”
The bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) is a four-year
degree program focused on preparing pre-licensure students
to become registered nurses, while the BSN completion program
helps those with an associate’s degree in nursing
obtain their bachelor’s degree.
Recent research shows that hospitals using more BSN-prepared
nurses have fewer patient complications and decreased mortality
rates. Since patients have much more complex health needs
than in the past, it is imperative that they be well prepared
educationally.
Beard said the commitment from faculty and the administration
to find resources to support the increases will mean additional
opportunities for students who want to go into nursing.
In 2008, EMU’s program alone turned away many qualified
students. According to Beard, there are more than 500 current
EMU students who have expressed intent to be nursing majors.
“Most programs talk about whether or not their students
will have jobs when they graduate. In nursing, we know
that it’s not if they will get a job, but what job
offer they will take,” Beard said.
“It’s not just about quantity, though,” Beard
said. “It’s about quality as well. One of the
quality indicators of any nursing program is the pass rate
of students on the National Council Licensure Examination
(NCLEX).”
“Our percentage of students who passed the exam
on the first try was 94.2 percent from October 2007 to
October 2008. The average for Michigan nursing programs
was 87 to 88 percent,” said Beard.
There’s even more encouraging news for Michigan
and its ailing economy. More than 90 percent of the students
who go through the EMU nursing program stay in Michigan,
Beard said.
“EMU and the School of Nursing are committed to
educating a workforce that will improve the quality of
health care in Michigan. We are also committed to providing
a quality nursing education for men and women who will
be employed in worthwhile careers in the profession of
nursing,” Beard said.
For additional information on the nursing programs at
EMU, go to http://www.emich.edu/nursing/
