February 3rd, 2011
Jay Nixon, governor of Missouri, has announced plans to grant the state’s public universities an additional $3 million over the next three years, the Southeast Missourian reports. This funding may benefit individuals who wish to obtain nursing degrees.
The state’s funding proposal would build on 2009’s Caring for Missourians initiative. This one-time investment of $40 million was designed to increase the number of healthcare professionals receiving an education through Missouri’s public institutions.
Through Caring for Missourians, the state’s four-year universities planned to raise the capacity of existing nursing programs. In the end, 203 seats were filled and 81 slots were added on a permanent basis.
Southeast Missouri State University was one of the initiative’s beneficiaries. The $1.2 million in funding the institution received allowed the school to offer a second accelerated bachelor of science in nursing degree.
“By investing in nursing education, we are meeting a vital need for qualified health professionals in Missouri, and we are helping students compete in a rapidly growing industry,” Nixon said.
Healthcare experts predict that when the nation’s economy stabilizes, a number of nursing professionals may retire and contribute to a shortage of these workers.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing projects that the largest segment of the nursing workforce will be in their 50s by 2012.
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