Jing Wang became the dean of the College of Nursing at Florida State University last year. She is a board member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and recently was named one of 10 Emerging Leaders in Health and Medicine by the National Academy of Medicine.

Nursing Shortage: "We recently adopted a fast-track BSN (bachelor’s of nursing) program, which is four consecutive semesters. It is quite intensive, but with this new accelerated model, we’re providing appropriate student support to ensure we do not diminish the quality of nursing. Another major accomplishment for the College of Nursing this year is that we were one of six universities in the nation to receive a National Institutes of Health grant for $14.5 million to build a diverse community of early career researchers."

Nursing Salaries in Florida: "Florida’s nursing salaries definitely need to catch up with the rest of the nation. Nursing is an incredibly arduous profession, and compensation for nurses has always been a hot topic. It’s an ongoing conversation among health care providers, and there’s still more work to be done, but I am happy to see that progress is being made."

Popular Nursing Specialties: "Specialties like pediatrics or family nursing are traditionally very popular. One thing to pay close attention to is the growing number of nurses entering geriatric work. Florida has an older population, so geriatric nursing will be a very sought-after skill set. Travel nursing also is a very lucrative option for our students once they begin their nursing careers. However, we strive to train homegrown nurses who often end up working in their own communities."

College’s Role in the Proposed $125-million FSU Health Tallahassee Center Initiative: "The FSU Health Tallahassee Center is a university-wide initiative that the College of Nursing is collaborating on with the College of Medicine and other departments across campus. The development of a new academic health center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I could not be more ecstatic about what this means for FSU, TMH (Tallahassee Memorial Hospital) and residents of Leon County and other regional communities. It is truly a collaborative effort from all parties to enhance our university’s research, clinical and training opportunities for the next generation of health care workers in the region and in the state overall."