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In April of 2007, the Connecticut Hospital Association published a report demanding the state, colleges, and hospitals take action to address the Constitution state’s nursing shortage. As of the date of the report, Connecticut had about 23,500 RNs, which is roughly 6,000 short of the number required to meet demand. And while that may be the current problem, it’s certainly not a static shortage. If the nurse shortage isn’t met, the need for nurses will increase to over 22,000 vacancies by 2020.

In fact, the report said that “Connecticut is projected to have the second-worst nursing shortage in the country - second only to Alaska - by 2020.”

The report also took a look at what hospitals in the state are doing to build the healthcare workforce of tomorrow. Programs such as “Nurse Camp” at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, which began four years ago, brings in high school juniors who have shown interest in a career in healthcare for a day of job shadowing and a panel of nurses who tout the benefits of a nursing career: challenging work, excellent compensation, and variety.

As a way to teach and train more nurses, the University of Connecticut’s (UCONN) Avery Point Campus in Groton, CT offers a master’s degree program for RNs. Those enrolled in the program are allowed to teach nursing students who are attending Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, CT - a nearby community college - at the two area hospitals. UCONN has responded to the shortage on its main campus as well with an accelerated nursing program for people with a BA in another field and want to begin a nursing career. It graduates 32 students a year, according to Carol Polifroni, associate dean of the school of nursing. The program will be expanding to two more sites over the next two years, doubling the number of graduates.

Polifroni contends that there’s no way for nursing schools to meet the demand for nurses in Connecticut, and that there are basic capacity issues on just about every campus.

UCONN’s approach deals with the shortage of nurses as well as a shortage that doesn’t get as much attention - the shortage of faculty to teach the nurses of tomorrow. In the fall of 2007, Three Rivers had 300 applicants for their nursing program. And while 250 qualified, there was only room for 80 new students because the program only has 10 full-time teachers, and 25 to 30 part-time faculty.

The reason for the faculty shortage isn’t that hard to figure our, either.  Most nurses with an associate’s or bachelor’s degrees earning $50 - $60K a year working full-time (not to mention the overtime) aren’t likely to make the time to pay for a master’s degree is the reward is a lower-paying teaching job.

Both of the major hospitals in the schools’ area have made donations that have brought the number of faculty up - and allowed for increased enrollment. The hospitals recognize their responsibility to entice more people into the nursing field to ensure their staff is well-trained. They see their role of educator/employer as a vital one if they wish to meet hiring targets. The effort has paid off, as Backus filled 92% of the nurse positions it had open.

Hospitals in the area are also seeing the future, literally, by visiting local elementary schools to give talks about what a nurse does and to answer questions from students interested in a nursing career.

The good new is that much of the shortage is being addressed by us: Travel Nurses. And while Connecticut is one of the most expensive states to live in, you can be sure that hospitals and staffing companies are offering competitive salaries and perks from one of the Constitution state to the other.