|
 |
2/8/2006
According to a February 7, 2006 press release, Governor Rod Blagojevich has introduced a plan to address the current nursing shortage in Illinois by increasing the number of nursing educators, providing financial assistance to nurses in training, and creating a Center for Nursing that will focus on improved working conditions for nurses. Projections indicate that, at the current rate, the nursing shortage in Illinois would reach 21,000 by the year 2020. As the "baby boomer" generation grows older, more citizens will require health care as many nurses will be retiring - meaning there will be a smaller workforce available to assist those in need. Governor Blagojevich's plan includes scholarship and student loan forgiveness programs for nursing educators, as well as grants for nursing schools. These enhancements would be in addition to steps already initiated by the Governor to recruit and retain nurses in Illinois, including the Critical Skills Shortage Initiative (CSSI), the Nursing Education Scholarship Program, and streamlining the nursing license process.
The press release is available at the State of Illinois Web site.
|
