The Nebraska Center for Nursing - a Department of Health and Human Services organization created by the Nebraska Legislature to address the nursing shortage in the state - analyzes workforce data, collaborates with schools and companies to elevate the competency of the current workforce and promotes the nursing profession. The CFN projects a nursing shortage of 5,345 full-time nurses by 2025, according to its 2017 workforce model. This number combines predicted resident nurse, licensed practical nurse and advanced practice registered nurse gaps.

It is a problem that UNMC is working to alleviate through the addition of the Health Science Education Complex on the campus of the University of NebraskaKearney. The complex has allowed the UNMC College of Nursing to expand its undergraduate and graduate programs in Kearney. For the first time, the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions offered its programs on the UNK campus, making them more accessible to students from central and western Nebraska.

The Health Science Education Complex quickly filled to capacity, with more than 300 students currently pursuing degrees in over a dozen professional programs, including cardiovascular interventional technology, diagnostic medical sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, medical laboratory science, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography.

Projects such as the Health Science Education Complex have dramatically increased the number of nurses and allied health professionals practicing in rural Nebraska. However, a significant need remains. According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, as of Dec. 21, 2021, the resident nurse assistant occupation is the most highly advertised position online with 3,068 job openings, followed closely by nursing assistants and licensed practical and vocational nurses.