By Amy Curtis | January 2026
|
In this issue: Kansas Nursing Education Report, KHA Workforce Report, January Research Committee
This newsletter is 1650 words long, about an 8-minute read.
|
|
|
State of Nursing Education in Kansas Advance Report Released
|
The Kansas Nursing Workforce Center released an advance report, The State of Nursing Education in Kansas, prepared for the Kansas Legislature.
The report provides data and increased access to information about prelicensure nursing education programs that can be used to create solutions to increase nursing school applications in Kansas. This is a part of the Pathway to Nursing Initiative, funded by a grant from the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR).
A comprehensive report will follow in mid-2026. Both reports provide baseline information that stakeholders can use to verify the success of projects and solutions designed to bolster the Kansas nursing workforce.
Key findings, based on data for KBOR schools
|
-
The approved number of pre-licensure nursing education seats has increased 12% since 2014.
- Enrollments declined over the past 10 years with a slight upward trend in the last two years.
- In 2025, 45.8% of pre-licensure nursing students were 20-24 years old, a 10.3% increase in this age category.
- 88% of prelicensure nursing students are female.
-
The percentage of prelicensure students who are single parents increased from 5.5% in 2015 to 9.7% in 2025.
|
January Research Committee Meeting
|
Watch a recording of the January research committee meeting where Emilie Doerksen, Labor Economist at the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) shared KDOL nursing workforce data and their projects.
The February Research Committee speaker is TBD.
Led by Shin Hye Park, PhD, RN, the Research Committee facilitates and promotes collaborative nurse research activities across the state. The committee's goal is to leverage research talent to better serve the healthcare community of Kansas, advance the field of nursing and healthcare and strengthen the nursing workforce in Kansas.
Sign up here to receive the Research Committee meeting link. Please send this link to colleagues who may also wish to attend.
|
Kansas Hospital Association Releases 2025 Workforce Report
|
The Kansas Hospital Association (KHA) released their annual healthcare workforce vacancies and turnovers report. Overall, the state has seen stabilization and some modest improvements in both categories.
According to the report, these trends indicate modest progress, but certain health care roles continue to face significant workforce shortages, largely due to Kansas’ aging population and its increased need for health care services.
Key nursing workforce findings
|
-
Vacancy rates for nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses declined to 14 percent and 12 percent respectively, while registered nurse open job rates declined to 14 percent.
- Turnover rates for many roles declined, including registered nurses and advanced practice providers.
- Anticipated growth rate for nursing job openings in 2022-2032 is:
- 43.1% - Nurse Practitioners (1,393 new jobs)
- 6.0% - Licensed Practical Nurses (5,872 new jobs)
- 4.9% - Registered Nurses (1,594 new jobs)
|
A total of 2,034 full-time equivalent vacancies were reported in 2024 with 3,003 employee separations for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants. Both figures are improvements from 2023, when there were 2,352 full‑time equivalent vacancies and 4,565 separations.
What they’re saying: “The 2025 Kansas Health Care Workforce Report shows continued staffing challenges across nursing roles, even as vacancy and turnover rates have moderated slightly compared with recent peaks”, said Jaron Caffrey, Director of Workforce and Health Care Policy, Kansas Hospital Association. “Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse assistants all continue to experience significant open positions and ongoing turnover, highlighting the gap between our current state and the pre-pandemic workforce environment. These trends underscore the importance of strengthening recruitment pipelines, supporting retention strategies, and expanding education and training partnerships to ensure hospitals, and all facilities, can meet the care needs of Kansans now and into the future.”
Why it matters: It’s encouraging to see some stability in the nursing workforce numbers. However, the anticipated increase in demand for care makes every gain critically important. Every Kansan deserves access to nursing care.
Download the report.
|
Nursing Named Most Trusted and Best Healthcare Job in National Polls
|
The nursing profession was positively highlighted in recent national polls.
Nurses were ranked the most trusted profession for the 24th consecutive year by the Gallup organization.
According to Gallup polling, nurses have the highest perception of ethics, with majority-level scores for honesty and ethical standards.
“Nurses have outpaced all other professions since being added to the list in 1999, with the exception of one year, 2001, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when firefighters made their lone appearance," said the article.
The nurse practitioner role was ranked the best healthcare job by U.S. News and World Report for 2026. Nurse anesthetist came in at number 5 best and registered nurse came in at number 12.
The healthcare jobs were measured on:
|
- Future employment prospects: the amount of sustained growth a job is expected to see over the next few years
- Wage potential: the median wage, wage range, and wage growth of a job
- Employability: examines employment/unemployment rates, people who are working part-time because full-time work is unavailable, and the amount of on-the-job training required
- Job safety/stability: evaluates factors that can contribute to employees' safety and well-being, both on and off the job
- Work life balance: considers full-time work hours and other factors, such as work pace and telework availability
|
Why it matters: As the Kansas nursing workforce ages and demand for care increases, it is important that people are inspired to become nurses. These poll results are strong signals that nursing is a rewarding, viable, stable, and meaningful profession.
|
Kansas 4M Program Alerts: Spring 2026 Virtual Training + Lunch and Learn
|
Nurse educators and nursing home professionals are invited to spring 2026 virtual training by Kansas 4M. Training is designed to help nursing home professionals and nurse educators:
|
- Implement evidence-based 4Ms care in nursing homes throughout Kansas
- Strengthen partnerships among nursing homes and schools of nursing
- Enhance nursing students' exposure to nursing homes and evidence-based care of older adults
|
All sessions are held virtually every other Tuesday from 1:30-2:30 pm (CT) from February 3rd through June 23rd, 2026 (off March 3rd). Late registration is accepted.
|
-
Nursing home communities achieve Level 1 and Level 2 Age-Friendly Health Systems Recognition.
- Participants receive continuing education credit.
|
Kansas 4M Lunch and Learn Series
|
- Date: February 25, 2026
- Time: 12:00-1:00 pm CT
- Location: Virtual presentation on Zoom
- Topic: Looking Beyond the Obvious: Understanding Behavioral Health in Older Adults Through the 4Ms Framework
- Speaker: Dr. Tracy Davies, DNP, APRN, ANP, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
-
Fee: Free attendance, $5 if you would like a certificate of attendance or continuing education credit
- Learn more and register here.
|
Kansas 4M Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).The award provided 100% of total costs and totaled $5 million with funding from 07/01/2024 through 06/30/2029. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information visit HRSA.gov.
|
PHOTO: Newman Regional Health press release
|
Cheers to Heather Aylward, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer at Newman Regional Health. Heather was named Nurse Administrator of the Year by the Kansas Nurse’s Association.
According to a press release: “Heather’s visionary leadership has not only strengthened our nursing team but has directly improved outcomes for families across Lyon County and beyond,” said Cathy Pimple, CEO of Newman Regional Health. “Her tireless service—mentoring the next generation of nurses, championing accreditation efforts, and ensuring every patient receives the highest standard of care—exemplifies the heart of what it means to be a nurse leader. We are immensely proud of her and grateful for the profound impact she continues to make every day.”
The Nurse Administrator of the Year Award honors nurses who demonstrate excellence in knowledge of their practice area, innovative care delivery, and selfless dedication during challenging times.
|
Hello colleagues and friends!
2026 is well underway with robust plans. We are thrilled to see Kansas nursing organizations and associations announcing new educational opportunities and programming. These organizations are also updating their strategic plans to ensure their imperatives are based on current, reliable information with tactics and measures designed to meet the needs of nurses across the state, the patients they care for, and the teams with which they practice. This may sound familiar to you: it’s the mission of the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center.
In mid-January we attended the annual meeting of our peers who are the directors of the 48 nursing workforce centers in the country. While different in structure, all share the same goals. We learn from other states about their successes as well as initiatives that may not have met all the desired outcomes. We share research in nursing workforce development, supply and demand, educational models and funding sources. The willingness to share, ask questions, and offer support was invaluable and reflects the book title “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum.
All this to say, the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center will continue to listen, measure what matters, be a reliable source of information, and collaborate with you during 2026. Please stay tuned and in touch.
We strongly encourage you to download your copy of the advance report of the State of Nursing Education in Kansas. This overview of Kansas prelicensure nursing programs provides baseline information for you to use as you do your work to bolster the Kansas nursing workforce.
|
—Barbara MacArthur and Amy Garcia
Kansas Nursing Workforce Center
|
|
|
We are collecting information for the State of Nursing Education in Kansas report, set to publish in 2026, and we’d love to include your thoughts.
Questions include:
|
- What do you think is the biggest opportunity in nursing education today?
- What do you think is the biggest challenge or barrier for students?
- What is the one thing you’d want someone interested in learning about nursing education to understand or know?
|
We may use your ideas in this publication.
|
Download your copy of the State of Nursing in Kansas, Volume 2. This edition tracks trending data from 2015 to 2025.
|
Have Kansas Nursing Workforce news, solutions, or kudos you’d like us to share?
Email nursingwill@kumc.edu
You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center. See below for unsubscribe details.
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get it delivered to your inbox.
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
3901 Rainbow Boulevard Mail Stop 2029 | Kansas City, KS 66160 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
|
| |
|
|
