The South Dakota Center for Nursing Workforce says hospitals in the state are bracing for a shortage of more than 2,000 nurses in coming years.  That's leaving hospitals trying to figure out how to meet the aging baby boomer population's health needs. 

The shortage is expected despite an 80 percent increase in nursing students in South Dakota during the past decade. The state's nursing schools are continuing to increase class sizes to try to keep up.  Sanford USD Medical Center Vice President Diana Berkland says the current shortage is different from the regular ebb and flow. She says it's a demand-driven shortage.