The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on health care has made it more important than ever for nursing schools to educate the next generation of front-line providers.

Now, thanks to an effort by Florida lawmakers to combat the nursing shortage, the University of Florida College of Nursing plans to build a “pipeline” to move well-prepared nurses into the workforce.

The state’s top-ranked nursing program, the College of Nursing, will receive $3.6 million in state grants referred to as "Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education" funding for the fiscal year 2023. This recurring annual funding, also known as PIPELINE, will help the state meet the demand for baccalaureate-prepared nurses, nurse practitioners and nurse scientists, officials say.

“As the preeminent nursing institution in the state, we are proud to champion the advancement of nursing education,” said Anna McDaniel, the dean of the college. “With the PIPELINE funding, we will not only increase the supply of front-line BSN-prepared nurses but also grow our graduate student body, which will contribute to the nursing faculty pipeline and further address the current nursing shortage.”

Continue reading at The Gainesville Sun.