| Usually, part-time nursing students are those | | | | nursing students. 1. Second Career It's true |
| who are interested in a nursing career but | | | | that the momentous events of 9/11 disaster |
| have other responsibilities that interfere | | | | have triggered a rush for second career in |
| with their abilities to attend regular | | | | nursing, because people want a job in which |
| classes. Of late, there has been a good rise | | | | they can make a difference in others' lives. |
| in the number of part-time nursing students | | | | But while this trend has more or less ebbed |
| for a variety of reasons. Looking at the | | | | over time, the popular choice of nursing as |
| overall scenario, it appears that the looming | | | | second career continues to rise on account of |
| specter of nursing shortage is the common | | | | projected shortage of nurses in the coming |
| driving force behind large number of students | | | | decade.Helen Taggart, a professor of nursing |
| opting for part-time courses.As per February | | | | at Armstrong Atlantic State University, says, |
| 2004 projections by the US Bureau of Labor | | | | "A critical shortage of nurses is creating a |
| Statistics, registered nurses (RNs) will top | | | | crisis in healthcare that impacts both the |
| the list of 10 occupations that have the | | | | preparation of nurses and the ability to |
| potential of the largest job growth in the | | | | provide quality care in the region." In |
| years 2002-2012. It bears recalling that RNs | | | | keeping with this daunting prospect, her |
| have listed among the top 10 growth | | | | association, the Coastal Georgia Nursing |
| occupations in the past, but for the first | | | | Consortium (CGNC) plans a news conference |
| time in recent history, RNs occupy the top | | | | shortly to announce a special program on |
| rank.BLS' 10-year projections are widely used | | | | Nursing as a Second Career.In most cases |
| in career guidance and come in handy for | | | | where aspirants have decided to opt for |
| concerned institutes in planning education | | | | nursing as their second career, it is seen |
| and training programs and also in studying | | | | that they are already engaged in full-time |
| long-range employment trends. Thus, the BLS' | | | | jobs either in healthcare industry or in a |
| report that more than 2.9 million RNs will be | | | | completely alien field. Such career choosers |
| employed in the year 2012, up 623,000 from | | | | are often reluctant to let go their |
| the nearly 2.3 million RNs employed in 2002 | | | | employment and therefore likely to opt as |
| has meant that many aspirants have now | | | | part-time nursing students.2. Admission |
| decided to study and pursue a career in | | | | Problem As noted above, the rising trend of |
| nursing.Unfortunately, there has not been | | | | requirement of qualified nurses has not |
| commensurate increase in nurse educators as a | | | | translated into matching availability of |
| result of which nursing institutes are unable | | | | seats in nursing institutes. This has meant |
| to increase seats in regular courses. Seen in | | | | that aspirants who would have otherwise gone |
| this backdrop, let us examine some common | | | | for full-time courses, have to settle for |
| indicators behind the increase in part-time | | | | part-time education in nursing. |