While many nurses are burning out in hospitals over the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing schools are experiencing an influx of applications. Educators believe the trend is driven by young people eyeing an opportunity and a challenge amid the global emergency.
Marie Nolan, executive vice dean at the university, said other top nursing schools across the country experienced a similar increase in the number of applications. She joined KNX "In Depth" to discuss. Listen below.
At Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, officials said they received their largest applicant pool ever.
“People want to have a career that’s meaningful,” Nolan said, pointing out the plethora of career options nurses can explore.
Nationally, enrollment in bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral nursing programs jumped 5.6% in 2020 over the year, according to data from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Although administrators said they’ve seen a spike, figures for the current 2021 school year won't be available until January.
At Fresno State, Emma Champlin said she and many of her classmates saw the pandemic as an opportunity to learn the trade.
“It’s just time for us to step in and give it our all and figure out how we can help, because there has to be a new generation and that’s got to be us,” the 21-year-old said, adding because she’s young she’s less fearful of the virus.
The higher enrollment could help ease a nursing shortage that existed even before COVID-19, even as nurses around the country lament how exhausted and demoralized the pandemic has left them.
Nationwide, the country celebrates Emergency Nurses Week from Oct. 12-18 this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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