Nursing Education Programs 2005 - 2006
September 2007 (download pdf file)

Archive: 2004 - 2005

Abstract & Background | Types of Nursing Program Capacity, App, Enrollment

Licensed Practical Nurse | Registered Nurse | Graduate Nursing

Comparison of Students | Faculty | Issues & Discussion

Conclusion & References

Conclusion

The immediate capacity of nursing education programs to accept students is determined by a number of different factors such as the availability of faculty, facilities, and clinical placement opportunities. Survey findings related to faculty in Hawaii’s nursing programs indicates that 68% of fulltime faculty are 50 years or older and the vacancy rates for fulltime faculty positions in nursing education programs are 15%.

Programs such as BS in nursing over the last few years have seen an increase in the number of students enrolled and graduating. However, in the 2005-06 school year, the number of qualified student applicants not being enrolled continues to be significant. According to the aggregate data available for the nursing education programs at these institutions:
• LPN programs report 62% (131) of qualified applicants were not enrolled.
• Ladder programs report 60% (122) of qualified applicants were not enrolled.
• ADN programs report 70% (210) of qualified applicants were not enrolled.
• Pre-licensed BSN programs report 27% (45) of qualified applicants to public institutions were not enrolled.

• MSN programs report 29% (29) of qualified applicants were not enrolled.
• PhD programs report 31% (5) of qualified applicants were not enrolled.

Nursing programs cannot increase current production without continuing to increase nursing faculty and develop and implement measures that redesign how we do business. One such measure in response to education capacity issues is the University of Hawaii statewide nursing consortium. The undergraduate nursing curriculum and learning strategies is being redesigned to increase flexibility and accessibility across the UH system. How this initiative will impact capacity and the supply of nurses requires evaluation on implementation.

In 2006 the Hawaii State Legislature supported funding for seventeen additional faculty positions for UH nursing programs. This further increase in faculty will aid in increasing enrolments by approximately 30%. However further policy measures and strategies are required to adequately address the growing nursing shortage in Hawaii.

References
1. Health Resources and Services Administration. 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses: Preliminary Findings. Washington. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health& Human Services, 2004.
2. Staiger D, Auerbach D, Buerhaus P. Expanding career opportunities for women and the declining interest in nursing as a career... third of a four-part series. Nursing Economics 2000;18(5):230-236.
3. Buerhaus P, Staiger D, Auerbach D. Implications of an aging registered nurse workforce. Journal of the American Medical Association 2000;283:1948-2954.
4. Aiken L, Clarke S, Sloane D. Nurses’ report on hospital care in 5 countries Health Affairs 2001;20:43-45.
5. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. National shortage fact sheet. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges of Nursing 2004.
6. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Faculty Shortages in Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs: Scope of the Problem and Strategies for Expanding the Supply. Washington DC: American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2003.
7. Michigan Center for Nursing. Survey of Nursing Education Programs: 2002-2003: Michigan Center for Nursing, (accessed 06/21/07
http://www.michigancenterfornursing.org/mimages/edprograms.pdf),
2005: 15-20.
8. Buerhaus PI, Donelan K, Ulrich BT, Norman L, Dittus R. State of the registered nurse workforce in the United States. Nursing Economics 2006;24(1):6-12.