A fundamental shift has occurred in the registered nurse workforce over the last two decades. As occupational opportunities for young women have expanded and the working conditions for nurses have deteriorated, the number of young people entering nursing schools has declined. Through the mid-to-late 1990's, the General Accounting Office reports a 20% decline in baccalaureate degree enrollments, 11% decline in associate degree enrollments, and 42% decline in diploma degree enrollments. Projections show there will be a national shortage of nurses in the next 8 to 10 years if nothing is done to alleviate the pressures that are driving nurses out of the profession and entice young people into choosing nursing as a career.

Nursing Education Incentives
State legislatures have introduced over 117 bills this year to increase the number of students that graduate from nursing programs. Approaches include offering student loan forgiveness, grants and scholarship programs as well as provision of funds to schools of nursing to expand nursing programs, staff and faculty. Some states have proposed funding educational programs with tobacco settlement money. Still other states have proposed pilot programs to afford high school students special placement in associate degree programs or extend recruitment efforts to primary and secondary educational facilities. Other legislation would provide money to health care facilities to establish education programs in nursing specialty areas that are in short supply. Legislation has also been introduced that would allow tax credits on tuition paid for nursing educational programs, provide nursing education money under the state's welfare to work plan, and preserve eligibility for unemployment benefits for persons participating in training programs leading to licensure as a registered nurse. Other nursing incentive legislation includes bills that would provide a block grants to hospitals to enhanced salaries and benefits for nurses; a pilot study to increase recruitment and retention of nurses at Veterans Memorial Homes, and the development of a nurse image program to recruit nurses.

The following legislation has been enacted in 2002: AZ legislation establishes a five year plan to increase the number of nurses who graduate from nursing programs in Arizona. CA decided to standardize all nursing program prerequisites, admission requirements and corequisites on a statewide basis. Another CA bill enacted calls for the review and analysis of admission procedures of nursing programs at four specific colleges. CO passed two bills, the first directs the state to develop admission policies for nursing programs at state schools to allow for more students and subject to monies in the More Nurses for CO fund. The second bill creates a 3-year direct care provider career path pilot program. Two bills in FL authorize a bachelor of science in nursing program at the University of West Florida and the Department of Health to make payments to nursing graduates of up to $4,000 per year for up to four years who practice in designated facilities. Another creates a grant program for school districts to establish an exploratory nursing program in middle schools and a career and technical education program in high schools to promote a seamless transition to post secondary education or employment. IA created a nurse recruitment program with funds to be administered by the College Student Aid Commission. KY legislation creates the Nursing Workforce Foundation to provide funding and award grants to nursing education programs and nursing employers for the recruitment of students and the training of registered nurses who are pursing advanced degrees to become nursing faculty. LA passed two bills, one establishes a commission to address, among other things, the education of future health care workers while the second bill is a study to develop a special high school curriculum in medical sciences. MI agreed to authorize the disbursement of funds to nursing scholarship programs and in a second bill, created a nursing school program that awards $4,000 for each year a student is in the program (funded through the tobacco settlement). RI legislation urges Congress to approve the passage of the federal "Nursing Employment and Education Development Act." Two SD bills revise provisions regarding the nurses' education assistance loan program by funding tuition reimbursement ($5,000) for nurses upon practicing for two years and makes an appropriation to expand the nursing programs at South Dakota's public universities. VA legislation allows part-time nursing students to be eligible for scholarship and loan repayment programs, while WV legislation creates a scholarship program for persons pursing a master's degree in nursing ($10,000) or a fourth year medical student ($20,000) who agrees to practice at least two years in a medically underserved area in West Virginia or a nurse who agrees to teach two years for a school of nursing.