In an attempt to solve the long-term nursing shortage, healthcare leaders in Maryland have announced grants of $15.5 million over five years to 17 in-state nursing schools.
"With major efforts underway to expand healthcare access, it is likely there will be an even greater need fornurses," said Chet Burrell, president and CEO of CareFirst BlueCross and co-chairman of the Maryland fundraising campaign.
Funding the education of nurses has become a critical national issue. The Department of Veterans Affairs is in the midst of a five-year, $59 million pilot program that expands learning opportunities for nurses at VA facilities, and states like Oregon have initiated projects that allow hospitals to help pay for the education of new nurses.
"Less than two years ago we predicted that unless we increased the number of nurses being educated in Maryland we would be short 10,000 nurses by 2016," said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association. "We are committed to maintaining the momentum we need to reach our goal of adding 1,500 students."
The first Maryland education grants will increase the number of nurses graduating by 300 students and add 20 faculty positions.
Coyle said the fundraising campaign, known as "Who Will Care," has attracted a broad-based group of hospitals and insurance, business and academic leaders, as well as nurses, long-term care providers and private citizens. In all, $60 million from the public and private sectors is being sought to fund the initiative.
Ronald R. Peterson, another campaign co-chairman and president of Hopkins Health System, said Maryland nursing schools have had to turn away qualified applicants because there aren’t enough faculty available to handle additional numbers of students.
"The number of nurses graduating in Maryland is not keeping pace with the nurses we will need in the next 10 years," said Peterson. "These grants will begin to increase the number of nurses so we won't face a huge chasm when almost half of the nursing workforce retires just as the baby boomer generation's health needs reach their peak."
The initiative’s leaders acknowledged that the recession makes the nursing shortage appear smaller, but warned against a false sense of security. "The recession only masks the problem," Coyle said.
Peterson said the state would likely face an "exodus" of nurses when the economic downturn ends. He said many nurses nationwide have postponed retirement and expanded their hours during the recession.
"We cannot take our eye off of the long-term goal of meeting our future nursing demands," he said.
The 17 nursing schools that will receive the initial grants include community college nursing programs and four-year baccalaureate programs from across Maryland. The schools will use the grant money to add faculty, students and clinical technology.