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Students Flock To Nursing Programs
Karla Schuster / Newsday
U.S. Labor Department analysts project that 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created nationwide between 2006 and 2016, an increase of 23.5 percent.
Nursing educators say their graduates can easily score jobs with starting salaries ranging from $50,000 to $60,000.
“Students are really starting to re-evaluate – all the business majors and computer science majors are saying, ‘When I get out, I want a job with a guaranteed salary in a profession I can grow in,’” said Craig Lehman, interim executive dean for health sciences at Stony Brook.
Greater life expectancy and aging baby boomers are driving the demand for health professionals. At the same time, nursing’s portability, flexible schedule and competitive starting salaries have fueled growing interest. “We’ve got all this interest – now how are we going to accommodate it?” said Kathleen Bratby, assistant dean for students at Stony Brook’s School of Nursing.
Increasing interest has not been met with a corresponding increase in spots. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing in December reported that annual enrollment growth – after hitting a high of 16.6 percent in 2003 – has been tapering off. In 2008, enrollment in bachelor’s degree nursing programs nationwide went up just 2 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of applicants more than doubled between 2003 and 2007 nationwide, as acceptance rates dropped below 50 percent, according to the association. In New York State, applications rose by 31.8 percent between 2005 and 2007 while acceptance rates fell below 40 percent.
Nicole Reyes, 22, a senior nursing student at Stony Brook, recalls the advice she was given when she applied to the program as a sophomore: “The first thing they tell you is that it’s highly competitive and to have a backup plan.”
A shortage of hospital clinical placements for students and a lack of faculty due to retirements – some estimates put the average age of nursing faculty at 55 – are the key reasons that schools cannot add seats faster, officials said.
“Resources are a big problem,” said Carol Mottola, head of the Nassau Community College nursing program. “Between budget and physical resources, and faculty resources, it’s almost impossible to expand beyond what we currently have.”
More Nursing Education Information
• Five Reasons to Get a Doctorate Degree in Nursing
• How Much is a Nursing Degree Worth?
• Tips for Getting into Nursing School
• Guide to Nursing School Rankings
• Tips for Nursing School Budget
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sap
9 months ago
2404 comments
Enrollment is high...but tell me how many people stay and make it through. My class lost many people who couldn't handle the heat or were kicked out of the program. It's very sad that some of these school make is so hard to get in. The school I'm going to had me take an entrance test, and IQ test, a person interview and an essay. It's tough but I'm going to make it! Graduation is in June. God bless all us nursing students. : )
stephaniepereira24
9 months ago
6 comments
Nursing is one of the greatest and wonderful profession i believe. it is beneficial to you and society. i love caring and helping other. i do not even care about the pay. i am just so passionate to become a nurse. i remember the first day i volunteer to the hospital it was amazing seeing how nurses contribute, and their roles to society. every time i read articles from here on this site you nurses allow me to become more inspired, so thank you all. and also for sharing at the some real facts about how difficult this profession is and about what is going on since recession has hit.
daviscl
9 months ago
4 comments
Nursing is a wonderful profession for those who love to care for others. If you are not one who is compassionate about people, you would be better off choosig a different profession. Granted, you can make a very nice living, but if your heart isn't in it, this is not the place for you. Nursing is both physically and emotionally challenging, so I suggest before you make any career changes you do much research via the internet, talking to nurses, both new and old in the profession, visit a few hospitals and talk with patients themselves. They'll tell you who and what makes a great nurse. And most important, would you want you taking care of you as a patient? Every pateint should be treated with the same respect, kindness and compassion you expect yourself and/or you'd want for a family or friend.
lzemo
9 months ago
6 comments
If your in it for the money you got a" BIG "shock coming. Being a Nurse is a tough, tough stressfull job!
mandietaylor
9 months ago
234 comments
I should find out in another week or two if I am accepted into the actual nursing program. I have worked extremely hard and feel passionate about the nursing field. I realized after working as a dental assistant for nearly 8 yrs that I LOVE TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS!!! I feel like we need nurses to be passionate about their jobs and who they are taking care of (hello, the patients). I am not choosing this field for the money, I actually made decent money as a dental assistant. But what made my income as good as it was, is the fact that I took great pride in my job and our patients. My job was not all about me, it was about our patients needs. I also entered this field because of the "need" of nurses. I take this serioiusly, I am choosing nursing as a career to help others and make a difference, not just for a paycheck.
picknewname
9 months ago
2 comments
'“I wanted to know that wherever I go, I’ll be able to find a job,” said Kurian.' Good luck Ms. Kurian. Nurses at my hospital have been losing hours for over a year now due to low census. Many of them have no vacation/sick time left to cover those hours lost and have homes in foreclosure and are filing bankruptcy because there are no other nursing jobs in the area. If their finances aren't that dire, it's mostly because they have a spouse/significant other with employment that has not been so affected by the economy. The security of nursing is not all it has always been cracked up to be. Be a nurse because you want to help people, not because you think it will pay your bills anymore...
ToxicShock
9 months ago
18 comments
A lot of people seem to be under the impression that nursing is the perfect, recession-proof job: big bucks and butt wiping. Then they get into the profession and see how hard it really is, and end up quitting to do something else.
Instead of "bragging" about how easy and luxurious nursing is, there needs to be more articles that paints the REAL world of nursing. A lot of people aren't cut out to be nurses.
Ok, so you've got thousands of people with nursing degrees. But if none of them are WORKING because they now hate the profession, then you haven't fixed the shortage at all!
AmbitiousFutureRN
9 months ago
52 comments
Your right nursingprogramwanted! I was on another forum and some ladies were talking about this. I also hear that hospitals are forcing older nurses to retire early and that working nurses are working fewer hours/days because hospitals dont need them.
nursingprogramwanted
9 months ago
20 comments
Some nurses are being affected by the recession. People are losing their jobs which means no health insurance which means less nurses needed. I know of several nurses who have had their hours cut, been laid off, new grad programs are being suspended. Nursing is not completely recession proof. I know of 6 new nurses who have passed the NCLEX and have not been able to find jobs.