I'm a nursing student and I have to say that even before being subjected to terrible working conditions and wage issues, that the programs themselves aren't exactly all sunshine and roses either. Students take a lot of abuse from college and hospital faculty while in school and are completely powerless because "they're students". And then we have to pay a ridiculous amount in testing and registration fees after graduation before we can work. There's so many hurdles to get over before becoming a nurse (not saying that they aren't all needed or that this is specific to nursing) that isn't helping the shortage. Throw in online learning/virtual clinicals to the mix, and now we are churning out nurses in a snail-like pace. In my class of roughly 75 we have lost more than 40. I'm finishing my education but I don't plan to work as a nurse after graduation because I don't want to subject myself to the way our healthcare staff is currently being treated.