Mary Graff: Train, groom nurses here

Thank you for the attention you’ve given an important issue with your Jan. 21 editorial “More nurses needed.”

North Carolina is facing a shortage of health care providers across the spectrum. The number of nurses we need is growing, and the supply simply can’t keep pace.

If not for the incredible job our community colleges are already doing of producing quality nurses with associate degrees, the situation would be even more dire.

Despite the obvious need, waiting lists for bachelor’s degree programs are backing up. While four-year schools are doing a fantastic job of churning out some of the best nurses in the world, we simply cannot hope to rectify this situation without the help of our community colleges, too.

The truth is that bachelor’s degree-prepared nurses have more career options, and the added training is better for patient outcomes.

It is far easier to prepare and recruit nurses from here than it will ever be to bring them in from out of state; we just need to open up the pipeline to give more students the opportunity to step up. This is a move that is well worth the investment.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Mary Graff: Train, groom nurses here."