La- Louisana Nursing Shortage

Initiative targets nursing shortage

A critical shortage of nurses is being addressed in Louisiana. Those nursing students who stay in the state after graduating and work full time won't have to pay the interest on their college loans. The interest relief is made possible by the Louisiana Education Loan Authority.

Too little attention has been paid by government at the state and national level to the shortage of registered nurses and its effect on the quality of health care. In a recent issue of Health Affairs, experts estimated that the nationwide shortage will increase to 340,000 by the year 2020. Several national surveys report that the shortage is having a negative effect on patient care and undermining the quality-of-care goals set by the Institute of Medicine and the National Quality Forum.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that nurses experience greater job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion when they are responsible for more patients than they can care for.

It is an extremely serious situation that is steadily worsening.

Part of the problem is a shortage of faculty members at nursing schools throughout the nation. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing says 42,866 applicants were turned away by nursing schools in 2006 because of an insufficient number of faculty members, clinical sites and classroom space. Budget constraints were also a factor.

Like other parts of the country, the situation in Louisiana is severe. According to estimates by the Louisiana Health Works Commission, the state needs to fill 4,000 to 5,000 positions for registered nurses and 2,500 for licensed practical nurses. As hospitals in the New Orleans area recover from Hurricane Katrina and resume full operation, those numbers will increase significantly.

The move by the Louisiana Education Loan Authority is not the complete answer but is an important step toward dealing with the shortage of registered nurses. As it is being implemented, other approaches need to be studied. A program in Pennsylvania called "Nursing Loan Forgiveness for Healthier Futures" is having a positive effect. Nursing students who meet certain guidelines may receive forgiveness for up to 25 percent of eligible debt during a three-year period. Participating employers can match the forgiveness contribution.

There are a number of requirements that must be met by those seeking loan forgiveness. Prominent among them is the stipulation that, upon graduation, students work in health-care facilities in Pennsylvania.

Many other states are developing programs to deal with the nursing shortage. It is encouraging that Louisiana has taken a significant step. More is needed, however. We recommend that the governor create a qualified task force to examine programs in other states and to develop recommendations specific to Louisiana's needs.

We must deal with the problem or face a continuing decline in the quality of health care.

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