SIKESTON -- In the Sikeston area, there is plenty of interest in nursing careers, despite a national shortage.
In fact, the problem isn't attracting students, but having the capacity to teach them and keeping them in the area, local education centers and health care representatives said.
According to a report recently issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute, the federal government predicts a shortage of close to 1 million nurses by 2020.
"We've been fighting the shortage for some time, as most other hospitals," said John Mobley, senior vice president at Missouri Delta Medical Center. "It's a bit more difficult for us I think because of our location -- being away from big cities. Once (students) finish, it's difficult to get them back to small towns."
However, the shortage comes while enrollment in nursing courses it up across the region.
Three Rivers Community College said their nursing class is full and some students were actually turned away, while credit hours in those courses are up from last year at the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center.
"As far as locally, we're up a little bit over last fall, so we're still doing well," said Judy Buck, SAHEC director.
"We were full last year, too," said Marsha Eaton, a nursing instructor at TRCC's Sikeston Center. "We still have a lot of people who apply."
That's the trend nationwide, said Desma Reno, an assistant professor in nursing at SEMO. She is also the Missouri delegate to the American Nurses Association.
"There has been a great surge in the number of students applying for the nursing program across the United States," Reno said. "The interest has really peaked and risen in our area for the nursing programs specifically.
Reno said the problem doesn't lie so much in attracting students to the field, but having a full staff at the universities. "Some surveys have shown that there is a high vacancy rate for faculty positions," she said. Although SEMO experiences those, they aren't severe, Reno continued.
Another cause for concern is that baby boomers are aging. That means they'll retire at about the same time, plus need more care. "There will be a large number in the work force that will be leaving," she said. "And we may have more patients than we have nurses to attend to."
Although the problem is across the board, it's tougher in rural areas. "Even though we're putting nurses out there, some of them don't choose to stay here," Eaton said.
Students at TRCC participate in clinicals at MDMC. "I think that gives them an idea of what goes on at that hospital," Eaton continued.
Mobley said the RN and LPN classes offered in Sikeston "have been a lifesaver for us" in terms of attracting workers. "It is the source of probably 80 percent of our RNs," he said.
But even with that hands-on experience offered through clinicals, some students still move on or have committed to work elsewhere.
Hospitals such as MDMC have found that it's key to attract future employees early on. "For some time, we've offered full scholarships," Mobley said "We try to attract the young, middle-aged and older -- basically all ages -- through our scholarship program."
When recruiting is done, Mobley said, the hospital attracts local residents. "When we get them, there are good chances that we will retain them and we'll have them long-term," he said.
To help compete with more populated areas, MCMC also offers a sign-on bonus and "a very competitive salary program and benefits," Mobley added.
Reno also noted that the diversification of the health care field -- where nurses now work in home health and hospice instead of just hospitals and doctors offices -- creates more opportunities. "There's just a myriad of organizations that provide employment opportunities for registered nurses," she said.
A visionary group called Nursing 2020 formed about five years ago. Including health care representatives from all over the Bootheel, it focuses on recruiting and retention.
"There are efforts to do things collectively aimed at promoting nursing, plus programs related to retention," Reno said. "It's about trying to keep nurses in our area.