LANCASTER, N.Y. — The nursing shortage issue brought State Assemblywoman Monica Wallace to Trocaire College on Thursday to discuss a bill aiming to alleviate the critical nursing shortage.
"What's exacerbating the nursing shortage, that's only projected to get worse, is that schools are limited in terms of the number of students they can take on by the clinical spots. So, every nurse has to get a certain number of hours, and there are only so many spots available. They've actually shrunk post Covid," Wallace said.
The bill will allow nursing schools to substitute 30% of their required clinical hours for nursing simulation experiences.
Hospitals notice keeping nurses is hard because they aren't prepared for the realities coming with the job.
"We've used simulation to strengthen the skill set of the individuals and try to fill in some of the gaps that they are experiencing. We can't substitute it legally as a clinical hour," says the president of Trocaire College, Bassam Deeb.
There are now 30 states using simulation. If permitted here, they hope, it will help alleviate the problem.