The nursing shortage is featured in a Dallas Morning news article.
The nursing shortage is caused by a lack of nursing teachers, because nurses can make more money outside of the academic setting. Students who graduate from some programs can expect to earn $50,000 a year starting salary in hospitals. Nurses with masters degrees can earn $80,000 a year at hospitals or doctors offices, according to the Dallas Morning News - but nursing teachers with master’s degrees can expect to earn $41,000 when they are hired on as teachers.
Half of all applicants to nursing school in Maryland are turned away because there aren’t enough applicants, according to a Nov. 6 Baltimore Sun article. Hospitals there have a 13 percent vacancy rate for nurses.
The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Massachusetts, notes that some nursing schools have a four year waiting list.
A new nursing program is opening up at McHenry College in McHenry, Illinois, according to the Northwest Herald. There will be 20 students accepted into the first class of the ADN program.