Abby Goodnough, writer for The New York Times, talks about the incredible opportunity that Martha Keochareon afforded medical students at Holyoke Community College. Martha, a nurse, was diagnosed with terminal cancer and offered herself for instruction in caring.
The long projected shortage of nurses in the state has been temporarily resolved in recent years. Hospitals that used to be beggars have become choosers, by seeking to hire more nurses with bachelor degrees or even master’s degrees. While many in the field are eager to adapt and pursue higher education, others fear academic achievement is being favored over years of experience. We look at this development and the broad challenges facing the field of nursing.
