Nursing School Applications in Oregon

A report from the Portland-based Oregon Center for Nursing indicates that Oregon's nursing schools had about two qualified applicants per available enrollment position in 2008. The report also provides demographic information about the applicants, as well as acceptance and enrollment rates.

Previous reports have indicated about five or six qualified applicants per opening at Oregon's nursing schools. There are several possible reasons for the difference between the 2008 numbers and previous reports, including changes in the number of applicants or enrollment capacity at schools. Indeed, since 2002, nursing schools have doubled their enrollment capacity in response to projections that there will be a shortage in the number of qualified nurses as health care demand continues to grow.

The full report ("Who Gets In? Pilot Year Data from the Nursing Students Admission Database") is by the Oregon Center for Nursing. It is part of their Nursing Student Admissions Database Pilot Project. The Employment Department does not necessarily support or oppose the viewpoints of this organization.