Proposal Seeks To Address Nursing Shortage In Michigan

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hospital-safe-1-68

A proposal to make it easier for Michigan nurses to get a bachelor’s degree is the being discussed at the Mackinac Policy Conference this week. Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association is calling for state lawmakers to pass a $56-million plan to offer nurses a chance to complete their 4-year degree at a community college.

“We will have 28 different sites in Michigan where you can complete your bachelor’s degree,” Johnson said. “There are many parts of the state that are not within driving distance of a four year university. If you think about Traverse City and Petoskey and Alpena, some of our more rural areas, they don’t have access to a four year university. So, this would provide an accessible option.”

Johnson says the field of nursing has evolved and healthcare employers are now looking for job candidates with a bachelor’s of science in nursing. He says there was already a nurse shortage in the state before the pandemic began, and COVID has only made the problem more acute.