One of the primary forces behind efforts to ease health care immigration rules is the persistent shortage of health care workers in the US. The shortage has gotten so severe that many believe that it will be impossible to ease the crisis without increasing the numbers of foreign nurses, doctors, therapists, technicians, nursing assistants and others from abroad. Each month we bring you the latest information on the shortage itself as well as what efforts are taking place to address the shortage, whether the solution is immigration-related or not.
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Florida Nursing Shortage Continues
A staffing survey recently published by the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) demonstrates Florida’s continuing shortage of registered nurses. The demand for nurses is increasing while the supply is not.
12.5% of nursing positions in Florida are vacant. The report estimated that there were 8,660 vacant positions throughout the state in February 2002.
Telemetry/stepdown, critical care and medical/surgical were nursing areas with the highest vacancy rates. One in five telemetry RN positions, 17.2% of the critical care and 15.5% of the medical/surgical RN positions were unfilled.
The turnover rate (percentage rate of nurses leaving the hospital) fell to 18.6% from 20.5% for the prior year, where more than half the hospitals reporting that it takes them more than 90 days to fill vacant positions.
To read the report, go to: http://www.fha.org/acrobat/nursingreport2002.pdf
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Nursing Scholarship Legislation Signed in Michigan
The governor of Michigan, Jon Engler, has recently signed legislation creating a new scholarship program for nurses in the state, distributing more than $4 million in year 2003. The program, “Michigan Nursing Scholarship Program” is backed by appropriations from the legislature, as well as the Michigan Health and Hospital Association and it provides scholarships of up to $4,000 a year for up to four years to participants in a Michigan educational program for registered nurses or licensed practical nurses. In return for every year of scholarship, the students must commit to working one year, full time, in a nursing position in the state.
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Decline in Medical School Applicants Continues
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, in the year 2002, applications to U.S. medical schools have continued to decline for the sixth consecutive year.
Approximately 33,500 people applied to U.S. medical schools in 2002, a large drop from almost 47,000 in 1996. This year's applicant pool is the smallest in the last six years, a 3.9 percent drop from the 2001 total of 34,859.
The sharp decline of males applying to medical schools, a trend that started in 1997, also continued in 2002. There were a total of 16,999 male applicants this year compared with 18,142 in 2001. Fewer females applied too, although the decline was less steep- 16,454 versus 16,717 in 2001.
However, according to the number of applications to date, as well as number of applicants for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), the number of medical school applicants is projected to increase by 4 to 6 percent in 2003.
To read the release, please go to: http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2002/021030.htm
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Pennsylvania Loan Forgiveness Program To Help Ease Nursing Shortage
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and American Education Services (AES) have established a Nursing Loan Forgiveness for Healthier Futures program. The purpose of the program is to address the serious nursing shortage affecting the delivery of quality health care throughout the state.
The goals of the programs are to increase the number of students enrolling in and graduating from approved nursing education programs, to increase the number of registered nurses working in the state, and to encourage licensed practical nurses to return to school to earn registered nursing degrees.
PHEAA expects to fund $13.3 million in loan forgiveness with proceeds from a series of bond-issue refinancings at no cost to taxpayers.
To qualify for the loan, students must graduate from an approved professional nursing education program during or after 2003. Participants must also maintain full-time employment after graduation as a direct care nurse at an approved Pennsylvania health care facility or as a nurse educator for a minimum of one year and hold eligible federal Stafford loans.
For more information, go to: http://www.pheaa.org/media/October_30_2002.shtml
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PPT Presentation On Health Care Shortage in Minnesota
The Minnesota Hospital and Healthcare Partnership has published a Powerpoint presentation on Minnesota’s health care shortage. The presentation includes statistics and projections. The explanation for the shortage is that less people are entering the health care workforce while more people retire as opposed to increased demand for health care, due to the aging of the population. Minnesota’s available work force is low, as unemployment is low, more women are working and there on average and many workers have more than one job.
The vacancy rate for an RN in the 2nd quarter of 2002 was 2,934, topping the vacancy rate for technical health care totaling 6,821. Support positions’ vacancy rate totaled 1,629 lead by Certified Nursing Assistants (CAN) 675.
The forecast is that by 2008 the gap between supply and demand will double to 7,122 RNs.
It is important to say that the presentation shows international recruitment as one of the 3 major solutions to the shortage problem.
To view the presentation, please go to: http://www.mhhp.com/workfrce/wf2002.ppt
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NHSC Awards Record $89.9 Million in Scholarships, Loan Repayments
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has awarded a record $89.9 million in scholarships and loan repayments to primary health care professionals who work in frontier, rural and inner-city areas that lack access to adequate care.
The FY 2002 awards supported 879 new and continuing loan repayment awards and 405 new and continuing scholarship awards. To be eligible, participants must agree to provide health care services for a minimum of two to four years in areas of the country with the greatest shortage of medical professionals.
The loan repayment program is available to primary health care professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, dentists, dental hygienists and behavioral and mental health clinicians. The scholarship program is open to students enrolled or accepted for enrollment in accredited medical schools, family nurse practitioner programs, certified nurse-midwife programs, physician assistant programs and dental schools.
President Bush’s FY 2003 budget proposes an additional $45 million increase in the NHSC budget for a total of $191 million, up from $145 million this year. The additional resources will result in awards to about 1,800 physicians, dentists and other clinicians who practice in underserved areas.
For additional information, go to: http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/NewsBriefs/2002/NHSC2002.htm
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Jacksonville University Opens Satellite Nursing Programs in St. Augustine Hospital
Jacksonville University (JU) and Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine, Florida have formed a unique partnership to help address Florida’s critical nurse shortage. JU’s school of nursing began offering its BSN-to-MSN program at the hospital this semester, and will begin an RN-to-BSN program beginning in January.
The Flagler Hospital satellite program is the first off-campus program the School of Nursing has established, and it offers the same courses taught on the JU campus.
The program is open to both Flagler Hospital nurses all other area nurses. Classes are designed to accommodate the schedules of working nurses.
The State of Florida recently increased limits on the number of students nursing schools in the state may accept, allowing colleges and universities to better meet the challenges of the industry. According to the Florida Hospital Association, there are currently 9,800 vacant nursing positions in the state. That number is expected to more than triple to 34,000 by 2006
For more information about the program, please visit: http://www.ju.edu/news/press/Nov02/112002.htm
