SULLIVAN -- According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the United States is projected to experience a shortage of Registered Nurses (RN) due to an aging “Baby Boomer” population.

A survey conducted in 2018 by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers said 50 percent of the RN workforce is age 50 or older, and they will soon retire.

Rolland “Boomer” Bojo of VP Patient Care Services and CNO at Catskill Regional Medical Center and Administrator for Grover M. Hermann Hospital says the problem is not only national but is also affecting Sullivan County.

“It's a problem across the board, but Sullivan County's biggest challenge is finding nursing assistants,” said Bojo.

The shortage might have to do with the record low employment in the county, Bojo said.

“There are not a lot of people who would want to go into that type of role,” said Bojo.

According to the Texas Medical Center (TMC), the ever-expanding opportunities that come with nursing have created a shortage of bedside nurses.

With a nursing background, a person can work in a variety of positions from biomedical, pharmaceutical, teaching or hospital administration.

While being in the healthcare field can be difficult, Bojo says it can be the most rewarding profession.

“You truly help your fellow mankind,” said Bojo.

Some of the responsibilities that a Nurse's Assistant might have are to assist the RNs and to assist with patient care, which can include taking patients' vital signs, assisting with bathing and personal hygiene, companionship, and assisting with feedings.

Bojo says at the moment there are close to 120 RNs and 100 nurses assistants at Catskill Regional Medical Center.

CRMC is proactive with their healthcare recruitment.

They have partnered with Sullivan County BOCES and to have the school's healthcare program located within CRMC's campus.

Going on its second year, Bojo says the students receive first-hand knowledge of what it is like to work at a hospital, and it helps create a pathway to work at CRMC.

“It allows them to see what we do,” said Bojo.

For example, a BOCES student who takes the nursing program becomes a nurse's assistant and starts to work for CRMC. If they want to become an RN, they can take classes at SUNY Sullivan, and continue to work at CRMC.

To keep academic standards at its highest, Nurse Administrator at Catskill Regional Medical Center, Laura Northrup, also serves as SUNY Sullivan's Nurse Director.

Recently SUNY Sullivan has ramped up their nursing program and is partnering with New Hope Community.

The nursing students at the college will now make clinical visits to New Hope Community individuals with the goal of providing real-world clinical experience to the nursing program.

Currently, there are 66 nursing students involved with the program, and 35 are expected to graduate this year, according to Dr. Keith Pomakoy, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at SUNY Sullivan.

“Healthcare is a wonderful opportunity for a career, it's very rewarding,” said Bojo.