More people are applying for nursing programs during the pandemic.What this means for staffing is that there will be about a dozen more nurses able to work in Kansas City at the end of the school year. It's a 10% increase from the previous year.There's higher than normal interest in nursing careers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. During the last three years, enrollment has been up about 10% each year."We have more first-time college applicants and we have a really excellent applicant pool," said Laura Thiem, of UMKC's School of Nursing and Health Studies.Thiem said better-qualified people are applying and most will stay in Kansas City to work. The trend began before the pandemic, and it continues despite the pandemic's challenges."People had the opportunity to evaluate what they wanted to do with their futures," Thiem said.Many are choosing nursing. Each nurse needs clinical experience and faculty training. The state board of nursing allows UMKC to have about 120 seats each year."We have had a full cohort and we expect to have full cohorts moving forward," Thiem said.The school hopes to help will reduce the challenges of nursing shortages locally."Kansas City needs excellent nurses and the University of Missouri School of Nursing and Health Studies educates excellent nurses," Thiem said.