But patients expect nurses to figure out what kind of education we need now and will need in the future. Teachers have done it. Occupational and physical therapists have done it. Librarians have done it. Social workers have done it.
Nurses can, too.
We ve been fussing over this issue for years, but we don t have much more time to argue. As the nursing shortage intensifies, pressure to quickly prepare nurses will inevitably mount. Nursing s challenge is to explain to the state Legislature how to best fund nursing education over the next 25 years. Imagine it s the year 2015. Just about every field from sales to law enforcement to computer repair demands the bachelor s degree.