Ohio hospital ditches bachelors degree requirement for new nurses

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a demand for a whopping 203,200 registered nursing jobs each year for over a decade. With the nursing shortage having been deemed a global health emergency by the International Council of Nurses, it’s a demand that the industry is simply not meeting. To recruit more bedside nurses, one Ohio-based hospital is doing something unconventional.

Wooster Community Hospital changed its hiring requirements in late April, eliminating the need for new hires to have a bachelor of science in nursing. It’s a hiring strategy that is widening the recruiting pool to more licensed practical nurses. According to Wooster Community Hospital chief nursing officer Shelly Huff, it’s a practice that is already paying off.

“Licensed practical nurses have the same practical knowledge as those with BSNs,” Huff told The Daily Record. “With a BSN, they have a more rounded education with common core elements.”

“We brought in (licensed practical nurses), and they did great,” WCH vice president of human resources Tina Myers added. “We value all nurses and believe we need to go back to hiring all types of nurses.”

Huff said the hospital aims to partner with local nursing programs to ensure medical students stay within the county, as well as offer scholarships and education programs. Licensed practical nurses are consequently filling a staffing gap only widened by the pandemic.

“Demand for healthcare services will increase because of the large number of older people, who typically have more medical problems than younger people,” the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. “Registered nurses also will be needed to educate and care for patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity.

“Job growth is expected across most types of healthcare settings, including hospitals and outpatient care centers that provide same-day services, such as chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and surgery. In addition, because many older people prefer to be treated at home or in residential care facilities, registered nurses will be in demand in those settings.”