A bill introduced yesterday in the Maryland General Assembly seeks to help some of the hundreds of nursing students turned away from Maryland schools each year by allowing them to use a state scholarship at out-of-state schools.
Rising interest in nursing careers has overwhelmed four-year schools and community colleges. School officials say they must turn away more than 400 applicants a year, largely because of a shortage of nursing faculty and limited clinical space.
"We've done an excellent job of recruiting people to go into nursing," said Sen. Paula C. Hollinger, a Baltimore County Democrat who introduced the bill. "Now we're telling them, 'We're glad you came, but we can't take you.'"
The bill would change the regulations for a state nursing scholarship program. Qualified students who can show they were rejected from a Maryland school because of a lack of space would be eligible for the scholarship -- an award of up to $4,500 per year -- and would be allowed to take it to a school in another state.
Like in-state students, they would then be asked to work as a nurse in Maryland when they complete their education.
"What we're saying is, we don't want to lose these nurses," Hollinger said, noting that for some students, a school in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., or West Virginia is a nearby alternative. Others may choose to go farther from home.
"Maryland has had a history of collaboration with other states to provide programs that we don't have," said Dawn Marks, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Hospital Association.
Marks said that a recent $1.5 million federal grant is one example of the steps Maryland is taking to deal with shortages of health care workers.
Rising interest in nursing careers has overwhelmed four-year schools and community colleges. School officials say they must turn away more than 400 applicants a year, largely because of a shortage of nursing faculty and limited clinical space.
"We've done an excellent job of recruiting people to go into nursing," said Sen. Paula C. Hollinger, a Baltimore County Democrat who introduced the bill. "Now we're telling them, 'We're glad you came, but we can't take you.'"
The bill would change the regulations for a state nursing scholarship program. Qualified students who can show they were rejected from a Maryland school because of a lack of space would be eligible for the scholarship -- an award of up to $4,500 per year -- and would be allowed to take it to a school in another state.
Like in-state students, they would then be asked to work as a nurse in Maryland when they complete their education.
"What we're saying is, we don't want to lose these nurses," Hollinger said, noting that for some students, a school in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., or West Virginia is a nearby alternative. Others may choose to go farther from home.
"Maryland has had a history of collaboration with other states to provide programs that we don't have," said Dawn Marks, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Hospital Association.
Marks said that a recent $1.5 million federal grant is one example of the steps Maryland is taking to deal with shortages of health care workers.
