The current nursing shortage isn’t a new topic. For many years, organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) have elevated the call for more skilled nurses in the field on a global level.
As of 2022 data, according to the State of Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana will need to meet an estimated shortage of 6,000 registered nurses by 2030, which is a 40% shortage. While the situation is not like the dire days of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing issues continue to exist despite the lessened demand placed on healthcare organizations.
The nursing shortage in Louisiana is not new, either. Rather, it has existed for the last two-plus decades. “Nurses are aging out of the system faster than they can be replaced. It was made worse by the pandemic,” explains PBS.
Data from an article from The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing echoes the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the need for improved nurse well-being and more professionals in the field. It notes the during the pandemic, “Surges in patient volume; equipment and PPE shortages; and regulations keeping families apart, especially in end-of-life situations, caused secondary trauma and moral injury. Nurses [were] leaving their positions…”
States with a need for nurses do not have to fight alone, however. While Louisiana is in critical need of nurses, professionals in neighboring states are critical in helping address this need. They have the local knowledge and access to help Louisiana fill its need for healthcare providers. Graduates of the Arkansas State University (A-State) online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program are uniquely prepared to do so.
Challenges for Nurses Working in Louisiana
While there are nursing jobs in Louisiana for those with associate, bachelor and masters degrees, employers are seeking BSN-prepared nurses more and more. This means BSN-prepared nurses are better positioned to access lucrative, high-demand jobs. In Louisiana, BSN-prepared nurses can make an honorable salary of $75,792 a year, according to ZipRecruiter.
While there is widespread nursing demand and there are not enough nurses to cover all the priorities within an organization, there is a solution within reach. While many factors can be improved to address the issues of pay and work-life balance (like hiring more nursing educators and implementing better employee well-being strategies), training a new generation of nurses is critical. The more students who enter nursing programs, the more the U.S. can improve the scope of the shortage and fill the widespread demand.
In fact, Louisiana is making the professional experience for nurses that much easier. Research.com notes that “Louisiana offers various incentives for nursing professionals, including loan repayment programs and scholarships aimed at addressing the nursing shortage. Additionally, many healthcare facilities provide competitive benefits packages, including sign-on bonuses and continuing education opportunities, to attract and retain qualified nurses.”
A-State’s online RN to BSN program is critical because it prepares more nurses to enter the workforce and fulfill the high demand. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, “the BSN, with its broader and stronger scientific curriculum, best fulfills these requirements and provides a sound foundation for addressing the complex healthcare needs of today in a variety of nursing positions. Baccalaureate education provides a base from which nurses move into graduate education and advanced nursing roles.”
How Nursing Students Can Help
Graduates of RN to BSN programs who choose to work in Louisiana will be addressing a pressing demand. Those who wish to continue their education in nursing have access to a plethora of resources from the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. Students can help spread the knowledge about these resources to other nursing students to ensure no one is left behind.
Additionally, nursing students can help mitigate the need for nursing professionals by keeping up with all required state licenses. Nurses within the state of Louisiana — and neighboring states, like Arkansas — can research the state nursing certification requirements and transferrable credentials through the Lippincott NursingCenter website.
This resource ensures all students can identify the specific requirements needed to receive a certification or renew a license through the state. Without certification, they will not be able to provide the necessary help to accelerate change in Louisiana.
Graduates of the RN to BSN online program at A-State are prepared for new career opportunities and equipped to fill nursing management positions in their own state and neighboring states. As the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners Nurse Licensure Compact page notes, nurses can practice in other NLC states (like Arkansas) without obtaining additional licenses. This means those who gain an Arkansas nursing license through A-State can work in Louisiana without obtaining a new license.
Change Is Waiting With a BSN Degree
Students in A-State’s program will study basic techniques for health status assessment and evidence-based healthcare that respect patient and family preferences. Depending on one’s schedule, students can complete the coursework in as few as 12 months.
The program allows students to enhance their clinical skills and join the workforce with the knowledge they need to succeed. For example, the Nursing Leadership course covers the basics of how to lead others ethically in healthcare settings. In the Cultural Competence in Health Professions course, students explore the self-assessment, sensitivity and acceptance practices of working with diverse populations with various backgrounds and experiences.
Graduates of A-State’s program not only gain the foundational skills to be effective nursing professionals. They are also uniquely prepared to fill the need for nursing roles in communities beyond their borders, like neighboring states.
Learn more about A-State’s online RN to BSN program.