WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The UNC System is awarding almost $29 million in grants to expand nursing education at 12 universities and NC’s Area Health Education Centers.

“Like many states across the country, North Carolina is coping with an alarming drop in nursing professionals. The state is projected to have a shortage of up to 18,600 registered nurses over the next decade, a major challenge for health care providers and an aging patient population, according to an analysis by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Sheps Center for Health Services Research,” a UNC System announcement states.

The grants were funded as part of the budget and are aimed at helping public universities graduate more nurses, funding new faculty positions, equipment nad initiatives for prospective students who want to enroll but do not meet coursework and admission requirements.

“Dedicated nurses are the backbone of a strong health care system, and we see huge demand for nursing talent across North Carolina,” said UNC System President Peter Hans. “Our public universities not only train the next generation of nurses, but also provide excellent professional development and life-saving research for health care providers. I’m grateful to our lawmakers for helping us meet those needs more effectively.”

The UNC System hopes to increase its output of nursing degrees by 50 percent over the next 10 years; the UNC System has graduated 27,191 nurses with a bachelor’s degree and 5,709 with a master’s degree.

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