The Louisiana Department of Health is awarding the University of Louisiana at Monroe more than $2.1 million for programs to mitigate the state’s shortage of nurses. 

The Louisiana Board of Regents projects the state will have a shortfall of approximately 6,000 nurses by 2030. The problem is particularly acute in rural areas in Northeast Louisiana, which the health department has designated professional shortage areas. 

The investment in UL Monroe will help an additional 40 nurses per year to graduate and fund the creation of a Nurse Residency Hub serving rural hospitals in the region. 

“This investment is a critical part of Louisiana’s broader Rural Health Transformation strategy to strengthen our workforce pipeline and ensure rural communities have access to health care professionals where they live,” Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said in a news release. 

“Ultimately, this is about bringing better care closer to home and improving health outcomes for rural Louisianans,” he added. 

In addition to funding nursing initiatives, the grant will also support development of a diagnostic medical sonography concentration under the school’s existing radiologic technology bachelor’s degree.

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