Expand the capacity of nursing programs for nursing students by increasing the number of faculty. According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, many qualified applicants are rejected simply because there is not enough room in nursing programs. This study cited that over 40,000 qualified applicants are denied admission each year simply because there are so few nursing instructors.
Raise the salary of nursing faculty to increase the body of nursing faculty. By providing better pay for teachers, schools will retain---and expand---their teaching ranks and therefore be able to expand the number of students able to be admitted. In Virginia, nursing faculty salary raises also resulted in higher graduation rates, since schools were able to attract more qualified instructors.
Appropriate state funds to nursing schools and to partnerships between nursing schools and hospitals and other medical facilities. In Michigan, state grants were used to create networks between schools and healthcare facilities so that students would have more opportunities for clinical experience during schooling. The state grants resulted in nursing students smoother transitions to jobs after graduation. By increasing post-graduate employment rates, the nursing schools attracted more applicants.
Create loan repayment programs for nursing school debts. Many potential nursing school applicants are deterred by the rising costs of higher education. However, by offering special loan repayment programs, states can attract more students to the field. Some states offer loan repayment options and incentives for nurses who become faculty after graduation or who spend a set number of years in public service.