Bill to ease Oregon’s nursing shortage advances

SALEM, Ore. – A severe nursing shortage is reaching crisis levels in rural Oregon. There’s no shortage of interested aspiring nurses, as hundreds have lined up to enter nursing schools across the state. The primary roadblock to supplying the demand for nurses is a lack of faculty to each those students.
One main reason for the faculty shortage is a significant wage cut that nurses qualified to teach in community colleges – holding master’s or doctoral degrees – must absorb to become instructors. In many cases that pay cut can range between $10,000 and $30,000 a year or more.
Senate Bill 754 is designed to help attract qualified nurses to teaching positions by creating a $10,000 tax credit to instructors employed as nurse faculty members at approved nursing education programs in rural areas. This is expected to encourage qualified nurses to take positions training the profession’s next generation, allowing more opportunities to overcome the existing nurse shortage.
The bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Health Care on Wednesday, according to Oregon Senate Democrats, whose release continues below:
“We have had a shortage of nurses for a long time in our community,” said Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, who is co-sponsoring the bill. “Whatever we can do to help qualified people see an opportunity for themselves to teach courses at a community college that will help expand our health care workforce, we should be doing.”
Oregon is struggling to keep up with demand for health care professionals to provide services to an aging population. It’s not going to get any easier, as more working nurses retire every year. The problem is particularly severe in rural Oregon. Aspiring nurses cannot be admitted into community college nursing programs in many cases because class sizes are limited. More nursing faculty would open up more opportunities for students to reach their dreams.
“This is a critical issue for rural communities,” said Rep. Caddy McKeown, D-Coos Bay, the bill’s other co-sponsor. “Recruitment and retention of health care professionals of many stripes in rural communities is very difficult. As we work toward making sure our aging population is cared for by our existing cadre of nursing professionals, there is a dearth. Our need is especially deep down on the South Coast.”
Rural communities in the bill are defined as geographic areas located at least 10 miles from any community with populations of 40,000 or more. The problem stretches across the rest of rural Oregon.
“It is difficult to fill vacant nursing faculty positions; keeping nursing faculty can be a challenge; and workloads are typically heavier in nursing education versus nursing positions outside academia,” said Laurie Post, Nursing Program and Instructor at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. “When vacant nurse educator positions are advertised, there are very few, if any, applications from qualified master’s prepared nurses.”
The existing Rural Practitioner Tax Credit – created by the Legislature in 1989 – already provides incentives for a broad array of health care professionals who work in rural areas. Senate Bill 754 provides a similar incentive to entice practicing nurses to go into teaching to train the next generation of nurses.
“We hear how many students are interested in nursing, but the local community colleges lack the space,” Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board Deputy Director Kyle Stevens said. “We have a choke point right now. There’s just a limit of capacity. All three of our community college in the region we serve have the facilities to expand, but they need the faculty.”
Senate Bill 754 now goes to the Joint Committee on Tax Expenditures for consideration.
Content shared from KTVZ.com TV Central Oregon’s News Leader
Benefits of Going to College
Education or training beyond high school is important. A college degree gives you more opportunities and a better life. "The purpose of college is not…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Going Back to School to be a Registered Nurse
Want to change careers? See how becoming a registered nurse offers a relatively quick option for professionals to jumpstart a new, fulfilling career. In 2019,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
College Prep for High School Seniors
Parents - Are you staying on top of your high school senior student with important dates and tasks as they explore their next adventure after…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
October Info Sessions Now Available – Enrolling for January 2024
Sumner College is accepting applications for BSN, LPN and RNBSN classes. If you want to jump-start your #career in nursing, register to attend one of…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Tips to Stay Health in Nursing School
The key components to staying healthy during your nursing education and going forward are to minimize stress, a proper nutritional daily intake, and an active…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month: July 2023
Congratulations to ADN student, Kindra, for being awarded the Student of the Month for July 2023. Kindra was introduced to the nursing profession through their…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month: June 2023
Congratulations to PN student, Evan, for being awarded the Student of the Month for June 2023. Evan embarked on his nursing journey after hearing glowing…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month: May 2023
Congratulations to ADN student, Jerald for being awarded the Student of the Month for May 2023. Jerald is a dedicated Sumner College student on a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing and Care Staff Working in a Heatwave
During a heatwave, it is important we keep both staff and patients safe. It doesn’t matter if you work in a hospital, GP surgery, clinic,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day! Here's to all the hard-working individuals who make our lives a little bit easier every day. Let's celebrate with some rest, relaxation,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Attention all nurses!
Attention all nurses! Continuing education is vital in expanding your skillset and staying one step ahead of the competition. Investing in further education brings many…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New September Info Sessions – Registration Required
Are you looking to jump-start your #career in nursing? How about exploring Sumner College's BSN program? Aspiring nurses, join us for an information session in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
School Nurse International Organization
School Nurses International provides a forum for nurses around the world working with school children to come together in a stimulating intellectual and happy environment…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
SNOW – School Nurse Organization of Washington
School Nurse Organization of Washington (SNOW) is a non-profit professional organization started in 1956. Mission Statement SNOW supports school nurses in the delivery of health…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Oregon School Nurses Association
The Oregon School Nurses Association (OSNA) advocates for the health and success of all children through equitable access to school nursing services. OSNA is the only state association…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Back to School Tool-Kit – School Nurses
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! Whether you are seasoned school nurse or in your first year on the job, NASN’s back-to-school toolkit highlights the…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing Scholarships
Trying to figure out how to pay for nursing school? If your desire is to earn your BSN there could be a nursing scholarship, grant,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Start a new career journey – Attend a BSN Info Session and learn more about the Sumner College’s BSN Program
Have you been considering going to nursing school? Learn more about the new BSN program offered at Sumner College by attending one of the August…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
#Hiring
#Hiring at Sumner College! We are recruiting for a few great candidates to join our team at the Portland, Oregon Campus. The following positions are…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Classes Start Every Month – Phlebotomy – Mesa, AZ
Get ready to embark on a rewarding career in the medical field with Sumner's Phlebotomy Technician Program! Designed with convenience and quality in mind, our…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
The Importance of Phlebotomy to Medicine – New classes starting every month
Phlebotomists are skilled medical specialists who study in drawing blood after patients, typically for medicinal testing. Meanwhile, blood tests can offer data concerning a patient’s…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Practical Nursing – Get Started Today
Passionate about healthcare and eager to make a difference? Sumner College's Practical Nursing Program can pave your way to a rewarding career as a Licensed…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
BSN Classes Enroll Now
Sumner is committed to helping aspiring healthcare professionals realize their dreams. We're thrilled to announce that enrollment is open for our Bachelor of Science in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Career – New YOU
Start a healthcare career when you graduate from Sumner's 8-week Phlebotomy Technician Program. Our program will prepare you for opportunities to work in hospitals, long-term…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
How to Become A Pediatric Nurse
This article is shared from Forbes. If you remember the scraped knees and splinters from childhood, you might also recall reluctant trips to the doctor’s…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Phlebotomy – Mesa
Looking for a comprehensive, flexible, and personal phlebotomy training program? Look no further than Sumner! We are proud to announce that enrollment is open for…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing Classes Start Today!
Welcome to Sumner College. New BSN, PN and RN to BSN students start classes today. Congratulations on embarking on your healthcare career journey.…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
The Vital Role of Phlebotomy in Medicine
Phlebotomy, or taking blood specimens, has been a part of medical care for centuries. Because drawing and handling blood samples are very crucial and strictly…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Veterans Benefits – Thank you for your service!
Sumner College | VETERANS BENEFITS Thank you for your service to our country. We are honored to help you continue your education and provide the…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Happy 4th of July – Enjoy your day
Sumner College Campus is closed today, to celebrate the 4th of July.…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn