Cincinnati.com: Demand for nurses outstrips supply. So why can't Cincinnati area nursing schools keep up?
UC College of Nursing interim dean says a nursing shortage means a faculty shortage
A variety of factors are contributing to a nationwide shortage of nurses. Those factors include burnout spurred by the pandemic and a large wave of retirements due to the aging of Baby Boomers.
Cincinnati.com reported that to help fill the gaps, employers are turning to nursing programs to churn out more graduates, but there's a problem: nursing shortages mean nursing teacher shortages, too, and some programs just don't have the capacity to bring in more students.
Denise Gormley, PhD, interim dean of the UC College of Nursing was one of those interviewed for the story.
Denise Gormley, PhD, interim dean of the UC College of Nursing/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
"We're seeing more and more retirements," Gormley said. "It is an issue and I think it very well could get worse. If we've got a nursing shortage, then we're going to have a faculty shortage. Because our faculty have to be nurses."
At UC, Gormley said nursing is the most popular major among undergraduate applicants. The program is expanding to hopefully offer 180 direct admissions in fall of 2022, compared to the typical 150 freshmen admitted to the nursing major each year – "which we hope will help with the (nursing) shortage, over time, at least locally and regionally," Gormley said. The university had been planning to expand for years before COVID-19 exacerbated the nursing shortage.
Lead photo of UC College of Nursing students and instructor/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's medical, graduate and undergraduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
‘Designer drug’ shows early neuroprotective signal in acute ischemic stroke
October 28, 2025
Medscape highlighted new trial results led by the University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry that found an experimental drug shows promise in protecting injured brain cells for patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Is menstrual fluid ‘the most overlooked opportunity’ in women’s health?
October 27, 2025
The Guardian recently reported that period blood has long been thought of as ‘stinky and useless’, but startups are exploring using the fluid to test for a wide range of health conditions — including endometriosis.
What is squalane, and how does it work to moisturize skin?
October 27, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in a Women's Health article discussing squalane, an ingredient being increasingly used in moisturizing skincare products.