Md. colleges given $11M to combat nursing shortage – San Francisco Business Times:

The grants, being divvied among 17 Marylancnursing schools, will be used to lure faculty and and improve technology at the universities. Maryland’ds nursing shortage is expected to reach 10,000 by 2016, according to the . The curren t vacancy rate of nurses at state hospitalsa is8 percent. The economic downturn has helpec the industry because many retirefd nurses have come backto work, but once the recessioh ends the shortage will worsen, said Carmela CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association. The first round of grants will increase the number of nurses graduatint by 300 students and add 20 faculthy positions at nursing programs acrossthe state.
“Thew number of nurses graduating from Maryland schoolse are simply not saidRonald B. Peterson, presideny of and co-chair of the “Who Will campaign at a press conference Monday. “We cannoty take our eye off the nursing The campaign’s goal is to add 1,5090 new nursing students. The program has raised $15.55 million to date throughu the state’s business including funds from the Baltimore constructionform , , the region' s largest hospital system, and , the region's largesg health insurer. Greater Baltimore Medical Center, for example, gave $500,000.
The goal is to raise $20 million from the private sector by the end of the and then raise anadditionj $40 million in state, local and federal • • • • • ; and, • .
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