3. Our hospital is about to embark on an expansion program. 4. し Because of the above, our minimal projected needs for full 5. We have nursing homes in the community and doctors offices, 6. Ten percent of our nursing personnel consists of wives of this facility being phased out. If that happens, our problem Where can funding be obtained? To start, the Federal government passed a nurses training act so that some funds are available through H.E.W. to at least get this program off the ground. For full implementation the state legislature must act. To begin now the state emergency board could authorize initial funds to at least get started by hiring a director of the school. The first year cost is small-probably not more than $25,000. If we start now, three years will pass before the first students are graduated. We are already three years behind. Our needs are great, the time for talk is long past, we must have action now. please help? Thank you. Won't you Very truly yours, Merlander, mnd. G. O. ERLANDSON, M.D. University of Oregon School of Nursing OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR August 14, 1970 The Honorable Mark Hatfield 463 Senate Office Building Washington, D. C. Dear Senator Hatfield: Thank you for the opportunity of talking with your staff by telephone regarding our mutual interest that full appropriation of the 1968 Health Manpower Act for Schools of Nursing be supported. When one considers that: 1. Continued increased hospital construction 2. Extension and development of comprehensive health services 3. The supportive measures for implementation of Medicare and Medicaid coming years the demands for the skills and extension of the quality and quantity of nursing personnel is almost astronomical. In addition, we are now confronted with the possibility of our highly skilled nursing personnel being utilized to extend and relieve the services of doctors in specialized areas. Therefore, we believe it is imperative that present authorization for the Nurse Training Act be continued. We are particularly concerned that there be a favorable balance between student loans and scholarships. We are alarmed that the request for the fiscal year 1970 showed a decrease in amount for student loans. Some of the schools of nursing in Oregon have had construction grants, but there are many schools that continue to need this kind of help. We wonder why the provision for institutional grants was authorized by Congress but never followed up by a request for funding. This item would strengthen faculty-student ratios and would give promise of improvement in curriculum offerings and would attract higher qualified faculty. From 1967 to 1969, Oregon opened 4 new junior college programs. They are involved in opening 4 additional ones in the year 1970. These are known as the two-year or Associate Degree programs. We have in addition, 2 very strong diploma schools of nursing these are the three-year programs. These facilities will more than provide the teaching resources to prepare nurses to render direct bedside care. Statistics show that by 1971, the graduates of our two-year Associate Degree programs may surpass the 2 diploma programs. The newer programs are attractive because they are co-educational settings; they provide college credit upon which the students may continue to build; they provide educational orientation for cultural development above and beyond the nursing major. The products of these programs are licensed registered nurses and are equally capable in the nursing skill levels. The Honorable Mark Hatfield Page 2 Ausut 14, 1970 In Oregon where we have opened so many schools in a short period of time, it has created greater demands for qualified faculty. In addition, the need for more nurses to do Community Health Nursing is also of concern to the baccalaureate program. Therefore, the continued support for all kinds of training programs in nursing is necessary. Because of the changing criteria in educational programs and of the quality of their products, very careful budgeting and planning must be done. It is for these reasons that the Associate Degree programs utilizing public educational facilities, supplemented by students' tuition, is the trend. The attachment is for your information and shows the picture across the country where the present trend is to upgrade diploma programs or to close them. Newer programs established in the country are of the Associate Degree or the Baccalaureate degree programs. (See enclosure) In addition, I am enclosing a table from a recent Committee Report of the State Board of Higher Education that gives you some indication of the admissions and graduates of Oregon schools. I hope this material may be of some assistance to you, as you lend your personal support to consider for full appropriation the 1968 Health Manpower Act for Schools of Nursing. Sincerely Jean E. Boyle JEAN E. BOYLE Director "State-Approved Schools of Nursing R.N. 1970" National League for Nursing CLOSED PROGRAMS 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. (Programs in Nursing Closed between October 16, 1968 and October 15, 1969) Birmingham DI A Hosp Public 0 42 St. Joseph's Hospital ⚫ Little Rock University is now part of University of Arkansas. ** Permission to publish withheld. 161 Admissions -DIA, 61 (Includes schools that did not give permission to publish statistics) #4 916 Graduations – DIA, 649) DI, 176, AD, 73, DEA, 18 (Includes schools that did not alva permiselon to publish statistica) The Honorable Mark Hatfield Page 2 Ausut 14, 1970 In Oregon where we have opened so many schools in a short period of time, it has created greater demands for qualified faculty. In addition, the need for more nurses to do Community Health Nursing is also of concern to the baccalaureate program. Therefore, the continued support for all kinds of training programs in nursing is necessary. Because of the changing criteria in educational programs and of the quality of their products, very careful budgeting and planning must be done. It is for these reasons that the Associate Degree programs utilizing public educational facilities, supplemented by students' tuition, is the trend. The attachment is for your information and shows the picture across the country where the present trend is to upgrade diploma programs or to close them. Newer programs established in the country are of the Associate Degree or the Baccalaureate degree programs. (See enclosure) In addition, I am enclosing a table from a recent Committee Report of the State Board of Higher Education that gives you some indication of the admissions and graduates of Oregon schools. I hope this material may be of some assistance to you, as you lend your personal support to consider for full appropriation the 1968 Health Manpower Act for Schools of Nursing. Sincerely Jean E. Boyle JEAN E. BOYLE Director |