STATEHOUSE (May 11, 2022) – National Nurses Week is May 6-12, and St. Joseph County legislators supported a new law to help Indiana's health care heroes and alleviate the nursing shortage.
With 4,300 nursing job openings statewide, the new law supported by State Rep. Dale DeVon (R-Granger) will boost the health care workforce pipeline by providing flexibility to Indiana's nurses seeking licensure. He said in addition to current job openings, the state will need 5,000 additional nurses by 2031, and nursing programs need to increase their graduating classes by 1,350 each year to meet this need. The new law offers flexibility to nursing programs and nurse educators to help meet workforce needs, and help nursing students working to obtain the required hours to be licensed.
"Nurses are there for us and our families during some of the most vulnerable moments in our lives," DeVon said. "This new law will address the nursing shortage in our state by providing much-needed flexibility for aspiring nurses who want to enter the field more quickly."
With the new law already in effect, nursing programs will be able to increase enrollment at faster rates and accept more clinical simulation hours, all while maintaining high-quality training for all nursing students. State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-South Bend) said the new law offers nursing students and registered nurses more freedom to grow and join the workforce, which is especially important as pandemic-related protocols prolonged the process for many nursing students seeking licensure.
"Nurses continue to persevere in a demanding job while being stretched thin across the board," Teshka said. "Our goal is to get more qualified professionals into this important line of work."
Supporters of the law include hospital systems, nursing schools, long-term care facilities, the Indiana Nurses Association, Indiana Hospital Association and Indiana Health Care Association.
"This new law helps nursing students who want to start working as soon as possible," said State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola). "We want to make sure Hoosiers don’t have any gaps in care by helping more qualified nurses enter the field."
To learn more about HEA 1003, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Dale DeVon (R-Granger) represents House District 5,
which includes portions of St. Joseph County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Jake Teshka (R-South Bend) represents House District 7,
which includes the majority of St. Joseph County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
State Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) represents House District 21,
which includes portions of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
