The responsibilities of a nurse often require a large reserve of technical skills, the ability to think quickly and decisively and an attitude that considers health a lifestyle choice. While the fast-paced environment of an emergency room or hospital may seem daunting, online degree programs can help students develop the relevant skills to promote success in nursing careers.

Western Governors University, which serves more than 14,000 students from all 50 states, announced today that it will launch a new scholarship program for prospective educators, managers and leaders in the healthcare industry who wish to continue their education.

According to WGU officials, in spite of an elevated unemployment rate, the shortage of registered nurses in the U.S. is expected to grow to about 260,000 by 2025, largely due to an unmet demand for healthcare educators.

Robert Mendenhall, the university's president, commented, "WGU is committed to addressing critical workforce shortages by offering challenging degree programs in high-need fields."

He added that the WGU Future of Nursing Scholarship Program will award 20 scholarships of up to $5,000 toward tuition for working nurses "committed to advancing in their professions."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that the employment of registered nurses will grow by about 23% until 2016, which is a much faster growth rate than the average for all jobs.