Schools for nursing are encountering challenges at filling teaching positions with nursing educators, according to a published report.
In turn, that prompts constraints on enrollment of students who ultimately will fill nursing jobs, The Houston Chronicle reports. Those who do have the appropriate training often orient their interests toward better-paying career opportunities, which puts the pinch on filling opportunities in higher education.
"There is a misconception about there being a shortage of nursing educators, because there really isn't. The problem is to teach in a nursing school, nurses need a master's and/or doctorate degree. Those with higher degrees are offered much higher salaries in clinical/medical settings than public universities and colleges can offer," dean and professor Pamela G. Watson with the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston told the news source.
An additional challenge facing the industry is the forecast of a shortage of doctors slated for around 2014.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses coordinate care of patients and offer advice and emotional support for the patients, their families and additional loved ones.