BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — The demand for nurses remains high across the nation, and an uptick in nursing students at one North Carolina school is coming at the right time.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 203,200 vacancies for registered nurses annually over the next decade. 

The Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University is experiencing a surge of students, which director Dr. Tracy Arnold hopes will quell some shortages. 

Arnold is a four-time alumnus of the nursing school.

Now — she’s the director. 

“I entered the associate degree program straight out of high school,” Arnold said. “Then I stayed on to do my bachelors, masters and eventually my doctorate. When I was a student, Hunt School of Nursing was a place where I felt supported. As I’ve had the opportunity to come back as a faculty member and eventually the director, I feel our faculty are focused on taking care of the student. We are committed to their success and we will do everything we can to help them get across the finish line.”

Arnold says the school is experiencing an influx of students in their programs, particularly those enrolling in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN). 

“We started that program in 2017, our first cohort, with 16 students,” Arnold said. “This past year we admitted 40 students. We have seen an increase in the last two years, particularly during COVID. Our ABSN students, they’ve already got a bachelor’s degree and they’ve got some life experience under their belt. Several of them said they were already working in health care. But during COVID, they saw what was happening in the nursing profession and they wanted to do more.”

Arnold says word of mouth among alumni in health care professions is resulting in more people choosing their program, which could lead to a surge of workers entering such a high demand field. 

“In the next several years, about a third of the nursing profession [is expected] to retire,” Arnold said. “That has created a need for more nurses across the United States. We are in a rural community. With the ABSN program, we can get well qualified trained nurses into a registered nurse role in 15 months.”

Alex Lieberman is one of the Hunt School of Nursing students enrolled in the ABSN program. 

She always knew nursing was the right career path for her. 

“I wanted to get into nursing because of the patient care aspect and we all know nurses are needed now more than ever,” Lieberman said. 

Lieberman says she moved from Los Angeles, California to North Carolina to achieve her career goals. 

“Life was good, I mean sunny and warm, but job opportunities and school opportunities are not as great as they are in North Carolina,” Lieberman said. 

She says the school is providing hands-on experience in simulation rooms that prepare her for things she’ll be doing in her future career.

“The highly realistic mannequins do present highly realistic patients,” Lieberman said.  

Lieberman says she’s excited to help fill any shortages so patients get the quality nursing services they need. 

“It’s very important to be an advocate for your patients and other people,” Lieberman said. 

The Hunt School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) has also experienced a jump in enrollment, increasing from 47 to 96 students over the last four years.