The shortage of health care workers is putting a strain on the nation but practically guaranteeing jobs for ASU nursing students.
“Everybody in town wants to hire them when they graduate,” said Barbara Durand, dean of the ASU nursing department.
In a study released Oct. 4 by the Healthcare Institute at the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, the shortage has left a 16 percent vacancy rate for registered nurses in Arizona, compared to the 11 percent average rate nationwide.
Arizona hospitals also reported 91 percent overcrowding in emergency departments versus only 41 percent in hospitals nationwide.
Recent graduates can start a job at $40,000 a year, said Anne McNamara, who compiled the results of the survey and is an ASU faculty associate in the college of nursing.
“A labor shortage makes the market much more desirable,” she said.
A possible reason for the shortage is that the number of nursing graduates out of the three Arizona colleges, which total about 1,000 students, are not consistent with the growing population, McNamara said.
Durand said another contributing factor to the shortage is that in the past, nursing has been a common occupation for women, but now women have more opportunities and are not as attracted to the program.
Students tend to dislike the nursing program because there is too much work for not enough pay or recognition, Durand said.
Although enrollment into nursing programs has declined all over the country, ASU has remained full with 80 students per semester and 160 graduates, she said.
“The nursing program is an expensive curriculum,” Durand said.
The education and training for nursing students in the program requires twice as many faculty members compared to students of other majors, she said.
There is not enough space, money or faculty to enroll more students, Durand said. The nursing program is intense so there must be a higher ratio of faculty to students.
Nursing senior Brooke Eisenhart said that although she knows a hospital will be demanding, she has always wanted to be a nurse.
“There are tons of jobs available,” she said. “But it could be stressful.”
Durand, who has been a nurse for 42 years, said that as a nurse every minute of work is devoted to others.
“Nobody has gone into nursing to get wealthy,” she said.
Reach Jennifer Voges at
jennyvoges@hotmail.com.
