Amid a national nursing shortage, schools are rejecting tens of thousands of qualified applicants each year because they don't have the capacity to train them. The lack of nurses nationwide can disproportionately hurt rural areas as fewer nurses may choose to work in rural medical facilities when they have so many other options available.

"At a time when registered nurses are going on strike to protest staffing shortages, applicants who want to enter or advance in the profession are being turned away from nursing schools," reports Tami Luhby of CNN. "Nearly 78,200 qualified applications were not offered spots at nursing schools last year, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, which represents schools with baccalaureate and advanced degree programs."

Read the full article about the nurse shortage by Heather Close at The Rural Blogs.