Despite a reputation for providing a strong undergraduate education, the School of Nursing has faced a shrinking student enrollment in recent years.
Recently, however, the department received a valuable boost in the form of a $500,000 endowment from the Fuld Trust.
Nursing school officials say the money will be used to fund student scholarships, helping UB confront an epidemic national nursing shortage.
"We currently have a big problem where there are just not enough nurses to care for the sick," said Dr. Jean Brown, associate dean of the School of Nursing. "This money is going to help people to get into the field."
UB was one of 10 universities nationwide chosen to receive the Fuld Health Trust award for 2004. The total amount awarded was $547,000, with $47,000 to be used directly toward scholarships over the course of the next three years.
The remaining $500,000 will be used as an endowment to provide the nursing school with future income.
Brown expects the school to apply that money toward incoming students as well.
"The profits from the endowment will be used entirely for scholarships," Brown said.
Nursing students say the shortage creates more demand for their labor. However, they are worried that hospitals often work with skeleton staffs.
Jennifer Malinowski, senior nursing major and vice president of the Nursing Student Organization, agrees that the shortage of nurses is a legitimate concern.
"Through internships and clinical experience, nurses are in hot demand," said Malinowski. "Hospitals are simply short-staffed. It's a shame because they are so valuable to the outcome and progress of an individual's illness."
According to the American Medical Assocation, whether a hospital is well staffed with nurses can be a matter of life and death.
The October 2002 issue of the AMA journal says more available nurses could potentially save thousands of lives a year. Their studies show that patients in a well-staffed environment have a 31 percent better chance of survival during serious illness than those cared for in an environment with a low nurse to patient ratio.
While the nursing shortage is particularly acute in New York State, it is affecting health care systems across the United States.
According to a 2002 report by the Health Resources and Services Administration, 30 states suffer from a shrinking workforce of qualified nurses.
Currently, students who want to pursue a career in nursing have several options to choose from as an undergraduate. In addition to a bachelor's degree, a fast-track program is now available for those who are anxious to become part of the workforce.
"There is the basic bachelor's degree, and there is also an accelerated program available to those students who have completed their first degrees in other fields," Brown said. "It is an intensive program that gets them a degree in twelve months. One of the best parts is that the scholarships will apply to both."
Brown said the nursing school appreciates the assistance of funds, which are one of only a few ways the school can bolster its scholarship funds.
"Fortunately, there are foundations out there that recognize the problem, and are willing to do something about it," she said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
