[brian]

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky is joining a trend aimed at easing the nursing shortage by attracting people from other professions.



Starting in June, UK will offer a full-time nurse training program for people with bachelor's degrees in other fields.

Several other Kentucky universities offer similar nursing programs, including Eastern Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, the University of Louisville, Spalding and Bellarmine. "There is such a need for nurses in this state," said Deborah Whitehouse, EKU's chairwoman of baccalaureate and graduate nursing, which includes the second-degree program.

Full Story: http://www.courier-journal.com/local...4180-4028.html

[MaleRNJeff]

Just for everyone's info, according to the KY Board of Nursing and several local hospitals here within the Big City of Louisville, there is not a state wide nursing shortage. According to "their" numbers KY is not in a dire straits like other states. But then the number crunchers are including nurses holding licenses that are retired, teach, retired from teaching, have been fired from other hospitals and can not get a job within another facility, been injured on the job and can't work, became full-time house bodies (got tired of all of the BS in BSN), or went to work as pharmaceutical reps! Yet, every night every local hospital is short of staff somewhere because the hospitals have started their own staffing agency in an attempt to shut out a lot of the per diem agencies in town. Great thinking Louisville hospitals! I know I've worked through all but the baby hospital--not a peds ICU RN--and the local VA hospital. Don't believe me. There was a site that had a picture of the CONUS (Continental U.S.) and if you clicked on a state the program produced the most current stats for the states nursing shortage. Guess what! KY showed a zero deficit. The good old Bluegrass state was in the good! So good they've implemented this nice new program. (Sorry to vent my frustration about the short sightedness of an antiquated system.) signed a frustrated local RN.

[orrnlori]

Originally Posted by MaleRNJeff

Just for everyone's info, according to the KY Board of Nursing and several local hospitals here within the Big City of Louisville, there is not a state wide nursing shortage. According to "their" numbers KY is not in a dire straits like other states. But then the number crunchers are including nurses holding licenses that are retired, teach, retired from teaching, have been fired from other hospitals and can not get a job within another facility, been injured on the job and can't work, became full-time house bodies (got tired of all of the BS in BSN), or went to work as pharmaceutical reps! Yet, every night every local hospital is short of staff somewhere because the hospitals have started their own staffing agency in an attempt to shut out a lot of the per diem agencies in town. Great thinking Louisville hospitals! I know I've worked through all but the baby hospital--not a peds ICU RN--and the local VA hospital. Don't believe me. There was a site that had a picture of the CONUS (Continental U.S.) and if you clicked on a state the program produced the most current stats for the states nursing shortage. Guess what! KY showed a zero deficit. The good old Bluegrass state was in the good! So good they've implemented this nice new program. (Sorry to vent my frustration about the short sightedness of an antiquated system.) signed a frustrated local RN.

Naw!!!! There's no shortage in Lexington, except that St. Joe's is bringing in nurses from the Phillipines and UK Hospital is paying nurses 100.00 to bring in any live nurse that will work for 90 days. Nope, no shortage in Kentucky.