Program Needs Assessment Charles M. Griggs Jr.
University of Phoenix
HSN
544
Carel Mountain
August 29, 2013

Hospitals within the State of Florida experienced high vacancies and high turnover rates in 2011 because the economic downfall of the United States caused a strain on the economy and field of nursing. Estimated predictions indicate that “Florida will run short of registered nurses by 11,000 openings in 2015 – and by 50,000 in 2025” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1). In Florida “Demands at hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies remained strong through the worst of Florida’s recession years, especially for more highly trained nurses” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1. The failure in the nursing industry occurred because “More than 200 separate degree programs – failed to materialize on schedule” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1). Educated nurses found difficulty finding employment during the recession, which caused some nurses to pursue other career paths. In the state of Florida many nurses “Have left direct patient-care jobs because of poor working conditions and pay” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1).
Throughout the State of Florida many nurses complained that hospitals “Assign more patients to the nurses…thereby exacerbating the problem” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1). Wage disputes, hospital shortages, increased patient loads, and educational training contributes to the shortage of nurses the State of Florida experienced. Employers in the health care field stated many hospitals experienced difficulty in filling vacant positions because some “Positions required nurses with experience and advanced education” (Peters-Smith, 2012, p. 1). In nursing the goal to increase, nursing education exists because “The majority of clinicians continue to be prepared at the associate degree (AD) level” (Landry, Orsolini-Hain, Renwanz-Boyle, Alameida, & Holpit, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, plans to improve nursing education, increase enrollment, and improved curriculum resources accommodate the demand to stimulate students to obtain a higher education in nursing practices.
Identification of Nursing Education Need
Hospitals reported that a shortage of educated nurses with extensive experience in the State of Florida contributed to many vacancies in the field. Many nurses enter the field with an associate level education however “Despite limitations in resources, many programs have increased enrollment to offset a national nursing shortage” (Rogers, 2010, p. 1). The United States suffers from a national shortage of nurses and in the “Demanding health care environment, nursing programs must prepare more nurses by facilitating student success from admission programs to licensure” (Rogers, 2010, p. 1). Increased enrollments helps students obtain licensure in part because “Accrediting agencies recognize this need, as programs are held accountable for retention rates and NCLEX-RN” (Rogers, 2010, p. 1).
Therefore, the need for continued nursing education exists because medical facilities believed “Increasing the number of clinicians with higher educational levels was a major benefit for service providers” (Landry, Orsolini-Hain, Renwanz-Boyle, Alameida, & Holpit, 2012). Enrollment increases converted a nurses educational level from an “RN-to-BSN and RN-MSN” (Landry, Orsolini-Hain, Renwanz-Boyle, Alameida, & Holpit, 2012). Some students revealed a reluctance to obtain a higher education because many programs failed to accommodate personal lifestyles, increased social restraints, and high tuition costs. Deterrents to enrolling in advanced degree programs include long commuting times from work to school, and a disassociated involvement of instructors in relationship to the students’ comprehension abilities. Rising costs of health care, medical mistakes, lawsuits, and regulatory mandates require that medical providers increase the quality of service provided, and decrease the costs of the services to ease the burden on health care spending.