UNMC Nursing college increases admission to twice a year for Lincoln and Kearney campuses
Time and time again, we're reminded about the need for more nurses. One way UNMC is responding to that is by upping admissions to twice a year on their Lincoln and Kearney College of Nursing campuses.
Taking part in simulations is part of the learning experience for UNMC nursing students like Meredith Gaura.
"I've always enjoyed helping people and want a career where I can kind of help others to be the best they can be," Gaura said.
She started in the nursing program at Lincoln in August 2023.
"I know a big thing for students was having to wait a bit after already completing their (prerequisites) and they had to wait a whole semester to be able to start nursing school," Gaura told KETV NewsWatch 7.
"Every state in this country are wanting to find more nurses. But when I was doing the research on Nebraska, one of the things I've learned is that over the last couple of years, Nebraska has lost about 2600 nurses from the state," said Dr. LePaine Sharp McHenry, the dean of UNMC's college of nursing. "We have a lot of work to do in Nebraska to really bolster the workforce."
McHenry points to more figures from the Nebraska Hospital Association. By 2025, the state will see a workforce shortage of 5,435 nurses.
In 2022, nine counties in the state had no registered nurses, while four counties had just one registered nurse.
"They're making decisions about whether or not they can continue to offer services because they don't have the providers," McHenry told KETV NewsWatch 7.
McHenry hopes that by offering more opportunities to be admitted to the nursing college, UNMC can attract more students hopeful to make a difference in the well-being of others.