Mississippi nursing faculty secures second phase of two-year salary increase
April 11, 2007

Mississippi's nursing faculty will receive a $6,000 salary increase July 1. This is the second installment of a planned two-year pay raise to retain and recruit teaching staff at schools of nursing across the state. Over 500 nursing faculty will receive the pay increase.

"This pay raise show significant commitment by the legislature to solve the faculty shortage issue," said Executive Director of the Mississippi Nurses Association Ricki Garrett. "We are extremely grateful."

Mississippi's shortage of nursing faculty is more than double the national average. "Our schools of nursing this year along turned away nearly 2,500 qualified students due to a lack of required teachers in the classrooms," said Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Jack Gordon of Okolona. "The passage of this second phase of pay raises for nursing faculty puts us in a position to be more able to retain current faculty and a little more competitive in recruiting new faculty."

"Enrollment in Mississippi's nursing schools is at an all-time high," said Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee Johnny Stringer of Montrose. "We can expect there to be as much as an 8.8 percent increase in the number of teaching vacancies this year. This is about the same as last year when the initial phase of the two-year salary increase was implemented. It is our hope we will gain additional ground this year in the keeping and the hiring nursing faculty."

The pay raise, supported by the Mississippi Nurses Association, received national notice from health-related associations and organizations. "Associations in Alabama, Louisiana and Texas have recognized the work we have accomplished in increasing faculty salaries." Garrett said. "We will continue to work to find innovative ways to resolve critical issues facing the health-care industry in our state."