How local hospitals and schools are working to overcome nursing shortages

INDIANAPOLIS — Nursing has been an in-demand profession for years and the ongoing shortage of nurses is impacting Indiana hospitals and patients.

“Now post-pandemic more than ever, nurses need to be able to vocalize what their professional boundaries are,” Katherine Tucker MSN, Assistant Professor at Marian University said. 

Over the next three years, the Indiana University School of Nursing at IUPUI say they plan to increase undergraduate student enrollment by 50%.

“The planning has already started, but we will start at IUPUI with the increases in January of 2023,” Robin Newhouse, Dean of the Indiana University School of Nursing said.

Indiana University leaders said the increase is coming from a $16 million gift from Indiana University Health.

Newhouse said it is something that's really going to help future students.

“I think there is a burnt-out," Newhouse said. "There is concern about their own health so it has been a time for people to reflect on what they want to do whether they want to stay in the profession."

At Community Health Network - Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing officer Jean Putnam said, they are short about 600 nurses.

Putnam said they just hired more than 100 new graduate nurses which should help the burden.

“We have travel nurses right now, so we are able to staff our units and our hospitals and our inventory clinic locations,” Putnam said.

At Marian University Assistant Professor Katherine Tucker said the university is seeing a 5% increase in nurse enrollment.

“We are optimistic that we are training the next generation of nurses here at Marian University,” Tucker said.

Tucker said the university has piloted what they are calling a 'senior success session' that will hopefully empower the next generation of nurses.

Tucker said the initiative has been in place for the last year.