Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation Announces Dramatic Improvement in Commonwealth's Nursing Shortage
Nursing Programs at Full Enrollment as Nursing Vacancy Rates Decline

Harrisburg, PA - July 24, 2007 - The Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation (PHEF) today released information on the status of Pennsylvania’s nursing shortage that shows improving enrollment and graduation rates at Pennsylvania schools of nursing and a reduction in vacancy rates for RN and LPN positions at Pennsylvania licensed hospitals.

Five years ago the state of nursing in Pennsylvania was in serious trouble. Pennsylvania nursing schools had experienced a ten-year decline in enrollment and graduation rates, the state ranked near the bottom among states in the percentage of its nursing graduates who passed their licensure exams, health care providers across Pennsylvania were reporting that the nursing shortage was severe enough to prevent them from maintaining existing levels of service, and all expectations were that the nursing shortage would worsen.

Today, statistics are pointing to a reversal of the downward spiral in producing qualified nursing professionals to meet the state’s health care needs.

• 59% increase in nursing program enrollment
• 86% increase in nursing graduates and nearly a 3% improvement in nursing licensure pass rate
• Nearly 5% improvement in RN and LPN vacancy rates at health care facilities

“Long-term solutions that are now showing results were not easy to develop. The cost to significantly address the nursing crisis with taxpayer dollars would have been prohibitive under tight budgetary constraints at the state level,” notes PHEF Board Chairman Elinor Z. Taylor. “We needed a comprehensive, privately-funded plan of action to help potential nursing students pay for their education, help schools increase the number of nursing students graduating from nursing education programs, and create public awareness and interest in careers in nursing.” Taylor also noted that the support and commitment of government, health care organizations and providers was also needed, creating the synergy responsible for today’s results.

Under its first initiative in 2003, PHEF identified the state’s growing nursing shortage as its number one priority. The Foundation, in partnership with PHEAA and private donor partners, moved quickly with input and support from health care associations and providers to create innovative financial aid solutions, including the Nursing Loan Forgiveness for Healthier Futures Program and the Nursing Education Grant in support of nursing students. The Foundation also launched its nursing information website, FuturesInNursing.org, which includes information on careers in nursing, educational requirements and student aid options. In 2006, the site received almost 200,000 visitors, many of whom are enrolling in nurse education programs.

Additionally, a public awareness campaign was jointly sponsored by PHEF and PHEAA using all forms of media placement to inform potential students about careers in nursing and the availability of student aid to help pay for their nursing education.

“What was at stake was the health of our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers,” said PHEF President and C.E.O. Michael Hershock. “An insufficient supply of working nurses would have devastating effects on our health care delivery system and our state’s economy. I believe that we are beginning to ‘turn the corner’ and must now address several related issues, specifically, increasing the number of nurse educators needed to train the next generation of nurses.”

The PHEF created the Nursing Education Capacity Initiatives in cooperation with the Leadership Council of the Pennsylvania Center for Health Careers and like-minded financial donors to enable nursing schools to increase their enrollment by funding additional faculty, providing assistance for current faculty to complete advanced degrees or allowing faculty members to hire graduate assistants to teach nursing students. The funds will be provided annually to eligible Pennsylvania non-profit, tax-exempt nursing schools.

For more information on these program or the many other nursing assistance programs available from PHEF, visit FuturesInNursing.org.