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Survey: Faculty shortages prevent nursing schools from admitting thousands of qualified applicants

Increasing enrollment in baccalaureate programs key to addressing the diminishing numbers of nurses.

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WASHINGTON - Despite high interest in baccalaureate and graduate level nursing education, qualified applicants are being turned away from such programs at four-year colleges and universities, according to a new survey by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

The AACN found that enrollments in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by 14.1% for the fall 2004 compared to fall 2003. In particular, entry-level nursing programs in the United States received 122,194 completed applications during the 2004-2005 academic year. Of these, 84,002 met admissions criteria, and schools accepted 54,577, or 44.7% of all applications, according to a press release.

Despite the increase, schools rejected 32,797 qualified applications. This includes 29,425 for entry-level baccalaureate programs, 422 for registered nurse-to-baccalaureate programs, 2,748 for master's programs, and 202 for doctoral programs.

The AACN attributes the rejections primarily to inadequate numbers of faculty members and to constraints on school resources. Specifically regarding entry-level baccalaureate programs, 76.1% of schools cited insufficient faculty for the rejected applications, 75% cited filled admissions, and 54.5% cited insufficient clinical teaching space.

Increasing enrollment in baccalaureate programs is a key first step to addressing the diminishing supply of nurse educators in the United States, Jean E. Bartels, PhD, RN, AACN president, said in the release.

"Given the nation's diminishing supply of nurse faculty, it's particularly disturbing to see that almost 3,000 qualified applicants were denied entry into graduate nursing programs last year. Efforts to address the faculty shortage will fail unless we can ensure that all qualified nursing students seeking graduate education can be accommodated," she said.

"Since the overwhelming majority of nurses with master's and doctoral degrees began their education in baccalaureate programs, efforts to overcome the faculty shortage must focus on boosting enrollment in four-year nursing programs," she continued. Enrollments and graduations did increase in master's and doctoral degree nursing programs last year, but only slightly and not nearly enough to close the gap with demands. Graduations in master's degree programs increased by 669 students (6.9%), and doctoral programs increased by eight students (2%).

The AACN conducts a survey of institutions with baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs annually. The current data are based on responses from 590 nursing schools that grant baccalaureate- or graduate-degrees in the United States and its territories. The information forms the basis for a leading U.S. database on enrollment and graduation trends, student and faculty demographics, and other aspects. The survey is based on actual counts and not projections or estimates, according to the press release.

For more information:

• The American Association of Colleges of Nursing