MEDIA ADVISORY: News conference with Gov. Ige on funding for nursing educators

WHAT: News conference with Gov. David Ige, UH President David Lassner and other officials on the release of $1.75 million in state funding for 39 new nurse instructor positions to address Hawaiʻi’s severe nursing faculty shortage and to support UH nursing programs statewide. 

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 11:30 a.m.

WHO:

• Governor David Ige
• UH President David Lassner
• Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing Director Laura Reichhardt
• UH Mānoa Nancy Atmospera-Walch Interim Dean Clementina Ceria-Ulep

WHERE: Webster Hall Front Entrance (2500 Campus Road), University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 

ADDITIONAL FACTS:

• The 39 positions will support instruction needs for approximately 230 nursing students across the UH System, including UH Hilo (12 positions), Kapiʻolani CC (9 positions), UH Mānoa (8 positions), UH Maui College (3 positions), Kauaʻi CC (3 positions) and Hawaiʻi CC (4 positions). 
   
• There is an estimated 1,000 current nurse vacancies in Hawaiʻi, according to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
   
• Hawaiʻi State labor data predicts there is an anticipated growth of nurse demand of an additional 110 positions each year, through 2030.
   
• In 2021, however, UH graduated 59% of new nurses in the state, or 260 of 442 total LPN and RN nursing graduates from UH and non-UH programs statewide. 
   
• UH System nursing programs make up six of the eight pre-license nursing education programs in Hawaiʻi that prepare students for entry into LPN, or RN practice.