WMBD/WYZZ TV – PEORIA -- As we've reported in recent months, there's a continuing nursing shortage in this country. Central Illinois is bucking the trend, and one social service agency is reaping an unexpected benefit as a result.

It's great news for Central Illinois. The future of nursing looks bright. In fact one area nursing school is expanding! Tori Russell was in and out of the hospital as a child. She says the experience inspired her to become a nurse.

Russell says, "They were all real nice to me, and made me want to go help people like that."

She will help people when she graduates Methodist's College of Nursing. A program Kimberly Johnston, the president of the nursing college says is expanding. They'll admit about 85 students this year versus 60 last year. With nursing schools expanding all over Central Illinois Johnston says---

"It's going to be a continuous supply of nurses for our area when the trend across the nation is of shortage."

Johnston says the shortage isn't just from lack of qualified applicants.

"We have individuals interested in nursing we don't have nurse educators."

But Methodist has expanded its teaching program, too. It has so many nursing students that it ran out of space to house them. So Methodist had to take over the office space from 'Central Illinois Friends of People With Aids' to turn it into dorms.

Executive Director, Michael Maginn says, "I think it obviously benefits us both."

He couldn’t be happier about being uprooted, and for good reason. Methodist gave the group this new facility in Glen Oaks Medical Plaza rent free.

"We have an open door policy because in the college of nursing building was secure 24-7."

Now his patients can come and go, and not feel uncomfortable having to sign in and out. And the president of Methodist's Nursing College says teachers graduating her program could help train nurses all over the country. That, in turn, would help ease the national shortage.