Kaplan Launches $1MM Campaign to Help Address Critical Nationwide Nursing Shortage

All U.S. Acute Care Hospitals to Receive Free Course for RN Licensure Exam

NEW YORK, December 8, 2003 - To help alleviate the critical nationwide nursing shortage, Kaplan Medical, a division of Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, today announced it will offer well over one million dollars in courses to acute care hospitals across the country. Through the "Kaplan Cares" hospital program, Kaplan will provide every U.S. acute care hospital with one free review course for the NCLEX-RN® exam, the professional licensure exam for students seeking to become registered nurses.

The nationwide nursing shortage has now reached epidemic proportions with more than 125,000 hospital nursing positions unfilled. Over the next 20 years, the government estimates that demand for RNs will increase 40 percent, with the majority of this growth occurring in hospitals where a rising proportion of the population over age 65 will need advanced care.

According to Judith Burckhardt, PhD(c), RN, Executive Director of Nursing for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, in addition to the aging boomer population with the potential for chronic health problems, factors contributing to this situation include the shrinking nursing workforce and a growing number of non-hospital job options for nurses.

She also noted that some new nursing school graduates do not pass the NCLEX-RN® exam, further adding to the shortage. "Our campaign is designed to ensure that nursing school graduates are prepared to pass the professional licensure exam and join the ranks of hospital nurses so urgently needed."

Every acute care hospital in the U.S. (more than 3,400) will receive a letter detailing the Kaplan Cares campaign and an application form, which can be faxed back or completed online at www.kaplannursing.com. The hospital selects the recipient, who is then enrolled without charge in either the Kaplan Nursing classroom course or the online course to prepare for the NCLEX-RN® exam.

Kaplan Medical is the world's largest provider of preparation services for the NCLEX-RN® exam, the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), and the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA). Preparation is offered through a full range of options including books and software, classroom-based and online courses and question banks, video review programs, and live lectures in U.S. locations. Kaplan also prepares thousands of U.S. students and foreign professionals annually for dental, nursing, and pharmacist licensing exams. Kaplan, Inc. is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Press Contacts:

Karen Blass
212-974-6233
karen_blass@kaplan.com