CNN —At a time when registered nurses are going on strike to protest staffing shortages, thousands of applicants who want to enter or advance in the profession are being turned away from nursing schools. 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. Staffing shortages are the main reason why nursing schools are not able to accept more students who want to become registered nurses. Staffing shortages are also a major factor in the current strike by more than 75,000 unionized employees, including registered nurses, at Kaiser Permanente. The national median salary for nursing school professors with master’s degrees is just under $89,000, according to the nursing college association.

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Persons: preceptors, Preceptors, ”, Judith Jarosinski, Rick Garcia, David Auerbach, Cynthia McCurren, McCurren, Jarosinski, ” McCurren, Marie Ann Marino, Thomas, “, Marino, ” Marino Organizations: CNN, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Salisbury University’s School of Nursing, Community, Organization, Nursing, Brandeis University, Kaiser Permanente, Bureau of Labor Statistics, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Nurse.com, Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University, US Department of Health, Human Services, Loan, Salisbury School of Nursing, Faculty Academy, Maryland Higher Education Commission, Jefferson College of Nursing, Jefferson Health, Jefferson Locations: Salisbury, Maryland, Kaiser, Flint, Philadelphia