Louisiana invests $2.1 million to address rural nursing shortage

Louisiana is investing more than $2.1 million to help strengthen the nursing workforce in rural communities, where hospitals often face some of the greatest challenges recruiting and keeping nurses.

The LA Dept. of Health awarded the funding to the University of Louisiana Monroe through the state’s Rural Health Transformation Project. The investment will support expanded nursing enrollment, a new nurse residency program serving rural hospitals and a new diagnostic medical sonography concentration.

ULM plans to increase nursing enrollment by 20 students per semester. Once those additional students move through the program, the university expects the expansion to produce about 40 more nursing graduates each year. The funding will also help pay for additional faculty, simulation resources and clinical training capacity.

A Nurse Residency Hub will also be established to serve rural hospitals throughout Louisiana’s Healthcare Region 8. The program is designed to help newly licensed nurses transition from the classroom into professional practice while giving participating hospitals access to mentorship, training and other resources aimed at improving nurse retention.

The effort comes as Louisiana continues to face concerns about its long-term nursing workforce. A Louisiana Board of Regents analysis projected that, without significant intervention, the state could face a shortage of more than 6,000 registered nurses by 2030.

State health officials said expanding training opportunities in rural areas can help build connections between students and the communities that need healthcare workers most, with the goal of encouraging more graduates to remain and work in those areas.

Recent Louisiana Board of Regents data show the shortage remains a current problem, with an estimated 3,742 registered nurse openings each year and about 525 positions going unfilled annually.

The $2.1 million award will also support development of a diagnostic medical sonography concentration at ULM, with the first class of 15 students expected to begin in spring 2028.