Md. colleges given $11M to combat nursing shortage - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

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The grants, being divvied among 17 Marylandnursing schools, will be used to lure faculty and and improve technology at the universities. Maryland’s nursin g shortage is expected toreachg 10,000 by 2016, according to the . The current vacancy rate of nurses at statde hospitals is8 percent. The economic downturn has helpeed the industry because many retired nurses have come backto work, but once the recessioh ends the shortage will worsen, said Carmela Coyle, CEO of the Marylansd Hospital Association. The first round of grantw will increase the number of nurse s graduating by 300 students and add 20 faculty positionws at nursing programs acrosdthe state.
“The number of nurses graduating from Marylandf schools are simplynot enough,” said Ronald B. Peterson, president of and co-chaie of the “Who Will Care?” campaign at a press conferencee Monday. “We cannot take our eye off thenursingv demand.” The campaign’s goal is to add 1,500 new nursinyg students. The program has raised $15.54 million to date through the state’xs business community, including funds from the Baltimorew constructionform , , the region's largesf hospital system, and , the region'e largest health insurer. Greater Baltimore Medica Center, for example, gave $500,000.
The goal is to raisw $20 million from the private sector by the end of the and then raise anaddition $40 milliom in state, local and federal funds. • • • • • ; and, • .