How S.C. is addressing the coming need for 13,000 more nurses
AIKEN, S.C. - Schools in the Palmetto State are working to get more nurses in the classrooms as a report projects South Carolina will have the seventh-largest nurse shortage in the nation in a dozen years.
The Federal Health Resources and Services istration reports the national nursing industry to see a shortage of over 330,000 ed nurses by 2036.
The agency expects South Carolina to see the seventh-largest supply shortage in the U.S. with 21%. The state will need over 13,000 ed nurses to fill the gap.
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The American College of Nursing states the industry gap is widening because of less nursing school enrollment, retiring workforce and low staffing levels.
The growing population of people 65 and older adds to the need. The South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office predicts the state to have over 1,500,000 people in the age group by 2035. The office expects a growth of 300,000 people than the prediction of nearly 1.13 million for 2024.
Starting a couple of years ago, Aiken Technical College launched a partnership with Grand Canyon University to get more students trained and ultimately into the field.
Leaders say once students get an associate degree, it will take about nine extra months to get a bachelor’s.
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Students can earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing in less than three years.
At the University of South Carolina Aiken, nursing is among the top majors for of this year’s record freshman class.
The school’s nursing program recently got a $350,000 legacy gift to fund scholarships. The gift came from the estate of Henry Pickens and Lisa Jones Cato.
The University of South Carolina and Lexington Medical Center on Aug. 12 opened their innovative 52,000-square-foot satellite clinical education building that will be used by third- and fourth-year nursing students starting this fall. This public-private partnership expands the College of Nursing’s training capabilities and creates opportunities for reducing nursing workforce shortages.
The Medical University of South Carolina is also working to get more potential nurses into the classrooms.
“We are all looking at innovative ways to educate more nurses,” said MUSC Dean of Nursing Cathy Durham. “Everyone, regardless of the school that you’re talking to, everyone is stepping up and thinking about innovative ways to get more healthcare providers out, graduate more nurses and make sure they are highly trained.”
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Durham said keys to meet demand include the use of technology and expansion of nurse training programs throughout the state.
MUSC offers discounted tuition and course accessibility to nursing students in technical colleges across the state. In-state technical college nursing graduates and hospital employees receive 20% tuition assistance.
The goal for medical institutions is to fill the need with getting more students into the nursing pathway by lowering barriers to quality education.
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