 Favorites |
 Google |
 Digg |
 Del.icio.us |
 Twitter |
 Facebook |
>> More...
Oklahoma Makes Efforts to Tackle Local Nurse Shortage
Oklahoma nursing programs are making efforts to offset a shortage of R.N.s and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), the Journal Record reports. According to data provided by the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center and the Oklahoma Hospital Association, the state in 2008 had approximately 1,345 vacancies in hospitals for R.N.s and 308 vacancies for LPNs. To address the shortage, Oklahoma City University's Kramer School of Nursing in January is expected to launch a part-time bachelor's of nursing degree program aimed at individuals who work or stay home full time. The program, which takes approximately three years to complete once pre-requisites have been completed, prepares students to sit for the R.N. licensure exam. According to the dean of the nursing school, approximately one-half of students currently enrolled in the program have already earned a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Other schools, however, have struggled to expand enrollment in their nursing programs, with many citing a lack of faculty as the largest barrier to expansion. According to a recent report, Oklahoma ranks 49th among all states for having the fewest numbers of nurses with graduate degrees, which are required to teach in nursing programs. To address the issue, the House of Delegates of the Oklahoma Nurses Association (ONA) plans to focus on the faculty shortage and lack of nurses with higher-level degrees during their annual meeting. Commenting on the meeting agenda, ONA's executive director asserts that "we're in no way trying to disenfranchise any nursing program because we need all we can get," but that "increasing the number of R.N.s with bachelor's degrees... makes it easier for them to take that next step to a master's or Ph.D. level" (Wilkerson, Journal Record, 10/27/09 [subscription required]).