Md. colleges given $11M to combat nursing shortage - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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The grants, being divvied among 17 Marylanddnursing schools, will be used to lure faculty and and improve technology at the universities. Maryland’s nursing shortage is expected toreach 10,000 by according to the . The current vacancy rate of nursew at state hospitals is8 percent. The economivc downturn has helped the industry because many retired nursews have come back to but once the recession ends the shortage will saidCarmela Coyle, CEO of the Maryland Hospitalk Association. The first round of grants will increasre the number of nurses graduatinbg by 300 students and add 20 facultyg positions at nursing programe acrossthe state.
“The number of nurse graduating from Maryland schoolse are simplynot enough,” said Ronald B. president of and co-chair of the “Whpo Will Care?” campaign at a preses conference Monday. “We cannot take our eye off thenursinv demand.” The campaign’s goal is to add 1,500 new nursinf students. The program has raised $15.5 million to date through the state’a business community, including fundss from the Baltimore constructionform , , the region's largesrt hospital system, and , the region' s largest health insurer. Greater Baltimore Medical Center, for gave $500,000.
The goal is to raise $20 million from the private sector by the end of the and then raise anaddition $40 million in local and federal funds. • • • • • ; and, .