| The American Association of Colleges of Nursing | | | | move on to set up a personal office as a nurse |
| (AACN) is concerned about the shortage of | | | | practitioner or grow into areas. These days it's |
| Registered Nurses (RNs). The U.S. is in the midst | | | | not uncommon to see a young candy striper |
| of a shortage expected to intensify as baby | | | | running home to get home and get an online |
| boomers age and the need for health care grows. | | | | degree as a registered nurse. |
| Compounding the problem is the fact that nursing | | | | The first thing to decide is just where you want |
| colleges and universities across the country are | | | | to go to school. A quick number of taps on a |
| struggling to expand enrollment levels to meet the | | | | search engine and a number of highly qualified |
| rising demand for nursing care. | | | | nursing colleges should appear. To double check, |
| Last July 2, 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor | | | | type "nursing school scams," just to weed out the |
| Statistics (BLS) reported the health care sector is | | | | chaff from the seed. |
| continuing to grow, despite significant job losses in | | | | From there, the hardest part about getting |
| nearly all other major industries. Hospitals, | | | | financial aid is applying to the incredible number of |
| long-term care facilities, and other ambulatory | | | | programs out there. Yes, good grades in high |
| care settings added 21,000 new jobs that June. | | | | school and/or 2-year prep schools and a clean |
| Over the same month, 467,000 jobs were | | | | record are an absolute must. Still, with a B |
| eliminated across the country. | | | | average or better, as well as proven good |
| As the largest segment of the health care | | | | citizenship, will be amazed at the amount of |
| workforce, RNs likely will be recruited to fill many | | | | financial aid is available for nursing degrees. |
| of these new positions. In September 2009, the | | | | As always, a good place to find financial |
| BLS confirmed that 544,000 jobs have been | | | | assistance is with an online college financial officer. |
| added in the health care sector since the | | | | Doing one's own research never hurts, either. The |
| recession began. | | | | Federal government has additional programs to |
| With these kinds of number coming out, it's no | | | | help train nurses on top of the usual Pell grant. |
| wonder many people are thinking about a career | | | | This includes programs for minorities as well as |
| as a registered nurse. Played correctly, one can | | | | those in the armed services (such as COSTEP). |