Maryland?s nursing schools are producing record numbers of graduates, but they are also turning away almost as many qualified applicants because of lack of class space, equipment and teachers, according to a study by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
According to a study of nursing program capacity in the state, 2,612 nurses graduated from programs in fiscal 2005. But for the 2005 fall semester, 2,357 qualified applicants were turned away, and 79 percent of all registered nurse programs in the state met or exceeded their capacity.
While undergraduate enrollment increased, demand for post-graduate nursing programs declined, threatening the available supply of nursing educators, the study found.
The study included programs at four-year and two-year colleges and universities and was conducted at the request of the General Assembly. “We?ve found that there is a willingness ? to expand [capacity] if the resources are available,” said Judy Hendrickson, director of academic affairs for the commission. Hendrickson said the state?s nursing schools could accommodate an additional 1,300 students if funding was available.
“What strikes me is that far less than half of our public four-year institutions provide nursing education,” said Kevin O?Keefe, commission chairman. “I can?t help comparing that to teacher education ? why isn?t a Frostburg [University] providing nursing education? Why isn?t a Morgan [State University] providing nursing education?”
Maryland, like many other states, has a critical shortage of nurses, projected to be as high as 11,000 to 20,000 by 2012.
In an effort to attract and retain more nurses, the General Assembly has approved several bills in the last few years to expand eligibility for nursing scholarships and grants.
In 2006, the legislature approved a measure to increase hospital rates by 0.1 percent to fund additional grants under the Nurse Support Program Assistance Fund. It was estimated that the rate increase would bring in $16.1 million in fiscal year 2007 and $10.3 million in fiscal year 2008.
