Faced with a worsening shortage of nurses, Mid-South executives from education and health care are launching an ambitious drive to develop local strategies for easing the national problem.The centerpiece is the Nursing Institute of the Mid-South. Recently incorporated as a private, nonprofit organization, its creation is the culmination of an 18-month effort that brought together nursing executives from every area hospital and nursing education program.

While some Mid-South hospitals have struggled for years to recruit and retain nurses, government and nursing groups warn that the nation is facing an unprecedented shortage that likely will affect care. Read more