The legislator for this bill is Republican Rush Holt from New Jersey, District 12. The key stakeholders include potential nursing students, current nursing students, nursing faculty, hospitals, and patients. We support this bill based on the increasing shortage of nurses. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an additional 1.2 million new nurses will be needed by the year 2014 (Porter-Wenzlaff & Froman, 2008). Furthermore, "the need to increase the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate (BSN) level is significant" (Spencer, 2008). "Research has shown that patient outcomes can be attributed to higher levels of nursing education" (Spencer, 2008). We will write to legislators expressing our concern regarding this crisis. In our letter, we will provide evidence demonstrating the need for action.

References

Spencer, J. (2008). Increasing RN-BSN enrollments: facilitating articulation through curriculum reform. Journal of continuing education in nursing, 39(7), 307-313.

Porter-Wenzlaff, L.J., & Froman, R.D. (2008). Responding to increasing RN demand: diversity and retention trends through an accelerated LVN-to-BSN curriculum. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(5), 231-235.