Letter: Plan won’t help nursing shortage

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 | 9:12 a.m.

Last week President Bush presented his budget proposal for fiscal year 2005. Although his proposal includes a modest increase in public health spending, it also shifts funds into some programs by removing them from others.

The president's budget increases funding for scholarships and loans for basic nursing training by reducing the funding for advanced nursing education grants. Our nation does need more nurses with basic training to enter the field, but focusing only on these nurses only addresses half the problem. We have a shortage of nurses and a shortage of nursing faculty. We need funding for advanced nursing and basic nursing -- not one at the expense of the other.

Our nation's serious nursing shortage will continue and worsen unless we increase the federal budget for training and education of nurses at the basic and advanced practice levels. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, particularly where the nation's health care is concerned, is not the approach we should adopt.

GAIL G. KINCAIDE

Editor's note: Gail G. Kincaide is the executive director of the Washington-based Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

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