PITTSBURGH (TNS) — More private schools across Western Pennsylvania are starting nursing programs to meet student and community needs as the country’s nursing shortage continues.

In fall 2024, Latrobe-based Saint Vincent College and Washington’s Washington & Jefferson College will both begin to enroll students in new bachelor of science in nursing programs.

Meanwhile, the first class of Grove City College’s Johnson School of Nursing earned their pins in May after the Mercer County school welcomed students to its bachelor of science in nursing program in 2020. And Misericordia University, a Catholic school headquartered in northeast Pennsylvania, introduced an accelerated nursing program in 2019.

Jeff Frick, W&J’s dean and vice president for academic affairs, believes his university’s nursing program plans will further serve the surrounding community. W&J created its program in partnership with the Washington Health System.

”We see this as a way to contribute nurse leaders to the nursing profession,” Mr. Frick said. “We see it as a way of benefiting the community.”

After W&J and Saint Vincent begin their programs, 25 of 28 colleges and universities in Western Pennsylvania will offer nursing degrees.

The new programs correlate with heightened shortage concerns raised by state and national officials. Shortages began decades ago, but became more pronounced during the coronavirus pandemic. A pre-pandemic study by the Department of Health and Human Services projected that 3.6 million nurses would be in demand by 2030.

”Historically, nursing has been a profession [that has] gone through shortages and surpluses,” said John Delaney, Saint Vincent’s vice president for academic affairs. “We’re in a shortage right now. For us, what we want to do is give students a real-world picture of what they’d be doing and then encourage them because nursing is a tremendous profession to help others.”

Saint Vincent announced it would create its own nursing program after partnering with Carlow University’s program for several years. As part of its program plans, the Catholic school will construct a new nursing education and lab facility.

In Pennsylvania, 90% of hospitals say they don’t have enough qualified nurses, according to 2022 data from the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. Early retirements, a lack of nursing applicants and increased need for nurses amid a pandemic and aging population have all contributed to the statewide shortage, per the association.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest concentrations of nurses in the country, but is also projected to have one of the largest needs for nurses between 2020 and 2030, according to Forbes.

When creating a nursing program, attracting new students and meeting their needs are key, said Janey Roach, the inaugural director of Grove City’s Johnson School of Nursing. Grove City’s first nursing class had six students enrolled. Its most recent class has 18 students, Dr. Roach said.

The Christian college developed the program in partnership with Butler County Community College after student demand. Dr. Roach said Grove City hopes to equip its nursing students to provide “care and excellence” for the next generation.

”As a health care provider myself, we are always looking for future health care providers,” Dr. Roach said. “Nursing is a young person’s sport. It’s not just physically demanding. It’s emotionally demanding; it’s psychologically demanding. We really want to make sure that we are providing nurses for the next generation.”

Some long-standing programs also are seeking ways to support their existing students. The Community College of Allegheny County will have a new financial assistance and support program for students interested in registered nursing careers. The program is limited to 30 eligible students and will include financial support for tuition and required student expenses such as books and uniforms.

More nursing programs can help ensure there are enough nurses to treat an aging population and fill retirement gaps, said Maryann Alexander, the chief officer of nursing regulation at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

But Ms. Alexander stressed it’s also important to boost retention rates within the profession. According to research published by NCSBN in April, a quarter of nurses with 10 years or less of experience have indicated they intend to leave the profession in the next five years.

”It is of little use to open new nursing programs and produce new nurses if we do not address the problem of retention,” Ms. Alexander said. “Equally as important in solving the nursing shortage is to retain nurses and ensure that they have lifelong careers in the profession.”