Ohio State University is trying to help current and future registered nurses learn more about opportunities in primary care. Employment of RNs is projected to grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Current and future nurses have a new opportunity to expand their roles. 10TV has previously reported on the shortage of nurses and efforts to recruit people to the field. But The Ohio State University's College of Nursing is working to get more nurses into primary care. Ohio State has received a federal grant to enroll and educate at least 100 nurses into the area of primary care. The university says this is a new focus in medicine and currently, only about 10% of nurses are working in primary care settings.

Ohio State University is working to address the supply and demand issue through the launch of a “Path2BSN” community college option. The program was designed to help boost the proportion of nurses with a bachelor’s degree in Central Ohio.

Path2BSN allows students from seven Central Ohio community colleges – including Columbus State – to transfer seamlessly into Ohio State’s online registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing program, saving them money and time, said Wendy Bowles, assistant professor of clinical nursing in the College of Nursing.