America spends trillions on healthcare, yet many communities still struggle to recruit enough nurses. People want to enter the profession, too. The difficulty is finding enough faculty and clinical training places to prepare them.
In January 2026, thousands of nurses walked out at major New York City hospitals. The Associated Press reported disagreements over staffing, pay, benefits and working conditions. Hospitals hired temporary nurses to keep services running during the dispute.
It brought a familiar concern into public view. A hospital needs enough trained people on each shift, whatever its size or budget. Recruitment matters, but so does giving existing staff reasons to stay. That is why, anyone considering an online accelerated BSN degree would make a difference in a sector under pressure.
A giant machine without much slack
First, consider the scale of American healthcare. Federal numbers say U.S. health spending hit $5.3 trillion in 2024. That amounted to 18% of the economy, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Those totals tell us little about staffing on an individual ward. Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and home health agencies all need skilled workers. An aging population also needs people who can manage complex conditions and help patients through recovery.
For patients and their families, these are everyday concerns. Is someone available to explain a new medication? Who will notice a change in a patient’s condition? Nursing involves that close attention, alongside the practical work of delivering care.
The nursing gap, plain and simple
The Health Resources and Services Administration published updated workforce projections in December 2025. It estimated an 8% national shortage of registered nurses in 2028, falling to 3% in 2038.
These are forecasts, rather than a count of jobs currently sitting empty. They depend on assumptions about how many nurses graduate, retire and remain in the workforce.
The national figure also hides local differences. HRSA projected a 24% shortfall outside metropolitan areas in 2028, compared with 5% in metropolitan areas. Recruiting nurses can be a very different task for a rural service than for a large city hospital.
Staffing was also part of the January 2026 Kaiser Permanente dispute in California and Hawaii. AP reported that about 31,000 nurses and other healthcare workers joined an open-ended strike. The union raised staffing and wage concerns, while Kaiser disputed its position. These disputes show why workforce discussions must include working conditions as well as training.
Nurses aren’t the only missing piece
Doctors face workforce pressures of their own. A 2024 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges projected a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Population aging and physician retirement were among the factors behind the estimate.
That does not mean the number of doctors will simply fall by 86,000. It describes a possible gap between supply and demand.
Nor can nurses and physicians replace one another. They have different responsibilities, and patients may need both throughout treatment and recovery. Increasing the supply of one profession leaves the other profession’s staffing needs to be addressed.
Why schools can’t graduate their way out
There is no shortage of interest in nursing. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported that entry-level BSN enrollment rose by 7.6% in 2025.
Even so, schools reported turning away 93,176 qualified applications across baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs that year. Applications are not the same as individual applicants: a person rejected by one school may have enrolled elsewhere.
The reasons matter. AACN identified shortages of faculty, clinical sites, preceptors and classroom space, along with budget constraints. Recruiting more students cannot overcome those limits on its own.
Online coursework can reduce some travel, but students still need supervised clinical experience. Schools must arrange suitable training sites and qualified supervision. That part of nursing education remains hands-on, however the lectures are delivered.
What you get with a BSN
A BSN is one route into registered nursing. An associate degree or an approved diploma program can also provide a route, subject to licensing requirements. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that some employers, particularly hospitals, may require a bachelor’s degree.
BLS reported a median annual wage of $97,550 for registered nurses in May 2025. This covers the occupation as a whole. It is not a starting salary or a salary exclusive to BSN graduates; earnings vary with location, employer and experience.
Bachelor’s programs include communication, leadership and critical thinking alongside nursing study. That education can support career development and further study. A nurse practitioner role requires additional graduate preparation, certification and licensure.
There is also a choice of work settings. Nurses work in hospitals, outpatient services, schools and home care, among other places. Moving into a different role may take experience or additional training, but graduates have several directions to explore.
The online accelerated BSN option
Some people discover an interest in nursing after earning a degree in another subject. An accelerated BSN gives them a route into the profession without completing another traditional four-year degree.
Cleveland State University’s program is intended for people with a non-nursing bachelor’s or master’s degree. The university describes it as a full-time, 16-month course combining online study, clinical training and two residencies at its nursing resource laboratory in downtown Cleveland. Its baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Clinical placement services are included. CSU says its team helps identify suitable sites and coordinates preceptor arrangements. Applicants should confirm admission requirements, state eligibility and the travel involved in clinical work and residencies.
The schedule needs careful thought, too. CSU advises students not to plan on working during the program because classes, labs, clinical experience and independent study demand a substantial weekly commitment. Anyone changing careers needs room for that commitment, as well as an interest in the work ahead.