More people are entering nursing programs during the pandemic.
Enrollment is up 6% according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
And the timing couldn't be better.
The nation is currently facing an ongoing nursing shortage.
The Bureau of Labor statistics estimates we'll need more than 200,000 new nurses every year to fill the gap.
"If you have any inclination to do it, just go for it because we really need nurses out there these days," said Sydney Checheli, a St. Petersburg college nursing student.
Education leaders expect COVID-19 to continue to be a driving factor for enrollment for years to come.
