There is reportedly a high demand for people with nursing jobs in Mississippi, which may be indicative of a national trend, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
The demand for nurses and others to fill healthcare staffing roles is partially caused by older professionals retiring, schools being unable to keep up and potential teachers putting off further education due to the down economy, the news source reports.
Another reason is that there is a shortage of teachers to instruct potential nurses.
Pat Waltman, associate dean for academic affairs and accreditation at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s School of Nursing, said that most nurses need to further their education if they want to teach.
“In Mississippi, we have about twice as many graduates from associate degree nursing as from baccalaureate or higher degree programs, and only about 15 percent continue with their education to earn the bachelor’s degree,” she told the news source. “Only about 5 percent of those go on to earn a master’s or doctorate degree.”
There will be high demand for those with nursing jobs for the near future, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The federal agency reports that employment for nurses will increase by 22 percent in the decade leading up to 2018.