title: Investing in nursing education: some evidence of immediate private monetary benefits.
abstract: Sir Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin and Wilhelm Roentgen's detection of X rays are two of the more famous illustrations of research findings coming about accidentally. Fleming and Roentgen each was working in the general field of his major breakthrough when a significant disclosure occurred quite fortuitously. Results presented in this article also came about somewhat unintentionally. While studying the benefits of investment in cooperative education, positive outcomes in completing a baccalaureate degree with a specialization in nursing, turned up. A study of Lehman College alumni (1980-1985) revealed that nursing students fared better in the labor market upon graduation than did their nonnursing counterparts. This article examines several of the employment variables, such as wage rate and search costs, in light of factors including background differences of graduates, and market conditions such as the nursing shortage. Evidence suggests that the relative advantage enjoyed by the nursing group is associated with the additional human capital obtained through pursuing an academic concentration in nursing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Siedenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000191:economics*; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D006801:Humans; D007449:Investments; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D012494:Sampling Studies