National nursing shortage fueled by lack of teachers

They're often the first people you see at the doctor's office, and the first line of defense in any ER – but America's nursing population is shrinking fast. The nursing shortage may not be caused just by lack of interest. In many ways, it's caused by lack of capacity. Each year, 80,000 applicants are turned away from nursing schools, often because there aren't enough teachers or resources to accommodate growing student interest. "Suddenly, we turned around and realized we're not attracting enough nurses to go into teaching," said Dr. Kimberly S. Glassman, with patient care services and the chief nursing officer at NYU Langone Medical Center.