A shortfall of nearly half a million registered nurses as well as a serious shortage of nursing educators and dental professionals over the next decade threatens to disrupt both the quality and availability of health care services. This widely recognized shortage is due in part to the aging of the current population of RN’s, and to the recent changes in hospital-based three-year nursing programs giving way to a more traditional educational path of a bachelor’s degree plus a nursing certificate.  Changes in educational requirements, along with more demanding work environments of new technologies requiring highly specialized skills, have presented barriers for the more traditionally attractive careers in nursing.
 
Med-Ready Healthcare Foundation is committed to overcoming these challenges and providing access to quality education to ensure the highest level of trained healthcare professionals. 

Med-Ready Healthcare Foundation’s response is three-fold:
1.   Provide access to continuing education and certifications through scholarships and loan programs.
2.   Ensure quality teaching staff by providing salary stipends for qualified teachers.
3.   Utilize professional athletes and celebrities in delivering a national media and outreach campaign targeting youth particularly in ethnically diverse, urban communities.
4.   Promote and encourage youth to pursue a career in the healthcare industry.