Investing in Nursing Education: Can $30 Million Solve South Carolina’s RN Shortage

The South Carolina state legislature has pumped $30 million into collegiate nursing programs over the past three years.

It is anticipated that the Palmetto State has the seventh largest shortage of registered nurses in the nation which leaves one-in-five (20%) positions unfilled due to nurses retiring and current low staffing levels.

An article published in Becker’s Hospital Review talked about the top ten states for R.N. shortages by 2036 of which South Carolina sits in the seventh position. The surveys suggest that nurse staffing levels are improving, the health systems continue to face recruitment and retention challenges.

I wonder what effect pumping $30 million into collegiate nursing programs will accomplish? Will more nurses attend school? And what about the decrease in the number of qualified faculty and would master’s prepared nurses be able to work at these facilities to train nurses?

I speculate what effect pumping all this money would have. I would much rather see that money go towards salaries for nurses and retention efforts rather than injecting it into education because, as I have said many times, I really believe that nursing is in your DNA.

You couldn’t pay many people enough money to do the job that nurses do. Providing people with educational opportunities to go into the field of nursing causes me concern that if nursing is not in your DNA, you might become disillusioned and quit the

profession. So, I am not sure what pumping money into education is going to achieve because it does take a special person to be a nurse.

What do you think? How about sharing your thoughts with the rest of us! Let us read your comments below.