Montana State University is hoping to fill the need for nurses with a new accelerated program.

Many hospitals are having a hard time finding qualified people to take the jobs.

Bozeman Deaconess Hospital said it is one of the hospitals in the state that has been able to hire good nurses.

"We have about 300 nurses, both in the hospital and in the clinic. As an example, we have about 3 percent of the nursing positions that are being advertised right now," Director of Human Resources, Rick Harden said.

But many hospitals throughout the state, in smaller communities such as Havre do have a hard time hiring nurses, Harden said.

It's a shortage that is nation-wide. But MSU's accelerated nurses program will give 16 students a year the chance to enter the workforce at a faster pace than with the traditional program.

People who already have a Bachelor's Degree, and the relevant prerequisites can apply to be in the program.

"A baccalaureate degree in any other discipline other than nursing, and really any discipline will be a benefit for them as they are a nurse," Dean of the College of Nursing, Helen Melland said.

The program is limited to 16 students, but the program would look at expanding in the future if it could.

Programs like it already exist elsewhere in the country, but Melland said she was proud to be the first school in the state to offer the program.

"Yes we are the first, and we think we are meeting a great need," she said.

If you want more information, you can visit the departmen't website, www.montana.edu/wwwnu.