The Future of Nursing

TERESA KAUL Chair of the Department of Nursing, Carroll University

What is the state of the nursing shortage in Wisconsin?

We’ve had a serious shortage for years now. COVID has only made it worse. Nurses are the largest health profession in the country, and the key component to the health care system. When you don’t have enough nurses, health outcomes suffer.

How is Carroll University working to train new generations of nurses to plug that gap?

We’ve developed a master’s in nursing degree launching this fall. It’s for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. They may be working and thinking, “I don’t really like what I’m doing. I don’t feel fulfilled.” They want to do something that makes a difference. There are so many career opportunities in nursing. For this program, they can come back to school for 20 months, leave with a master’s degree, and then sit for the exam to become a registered nurse.

What sets Carroll’s nursing program apart from others?

We’re ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin. We have small class sizes and awesome faculty who still practice nursing, so they know the reality in hospitals. We have a state-of-the-art simulation center, where students learn before dealing with real patients.

Nursing comes with a lot of responsibility, but it is an amazing profession. It’s a wonderful feeling to be there when someone is delivering a baby, when they’re dealing with cancer, to help another human being on whatever journey they’re on.

“Nurses are the largest health profession in the country, and the key component to the health care system.”