Photo above: Lauren Swant with Montana's Congressional Delegation, Rep. Matt Rosendale, Rep, Ryan Zinke, Sen. Steve Daines, Sen. Jon Tester.
In June 2023, Lauren Swant, Associate Professor and Director of the Nursing Program at Carroll traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of the nursing profession. She shares her experience below.
In June, I had the opportunity to present in Washington, D.C., at a National Forum of State Workforce Centers conference about the Nursing faculty shortage that we are experiencing nationwide.
While the nursing shortage is something that has received significant attention of late, there is a looming and persistent shortage of qualified and interested nurses available to educate future nursing students. This obviously presents a challenge to increasing the enrollment of nursing students to meet the national need for nurses.
During my week in D.C., I also had the pleasure to meet with Senators Tester and Daines and Representatives Rosendale and Zinke. I spoke with each of them regarding the current nursing shortage (and faculty shortage) in the state of Montana as well as urged them to continue supporting federal appropriations for Title VIII funding. This funding supports federal Nurse Corps Scholarships for many of our nursing students and Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment opportunities as well.
~ Lauren Swant, MSN, RNC-NIC, CNE