Published November 2004

Partnership to grow EvCC nursing program

SCBJ Staff

Providence Everett Medical Center and Everett Community College have teamed up to address Snohomish County’s nursing shortage by expanding the school’s registered nursing program from 90 to 120 enrollments per year.

Under the agreement between the nonprofit hospital and the public college, Providence will sponsor 30 registered nursing students per year at EvCC at a cost of $4,500 per student per year between September 2004 and August 2008 for a total investment of $540,000, EvCC said. The agreement may be extended on an annual basis.

The major costs for expanding the program will be salaries for additional clinical specialist/educators and paid training time for staff.

The deal is a win-win for both institutions, as it will provide staff salaries to attract and retain masters-prepared nurses to teach in the nursing program as well as give Providence the first opportunity to review RN candidates as potential employees when they have completed the nursing program, EvCC said.

The deal also calls for a co-appointment of two RN clinical specialists who will teach an additional clinical section each quarter and instructionally support and mentor all new RN hires during their first year, EvCC said.

“The college needs qualified instructors, and (Providence) needs qualified nurses. We explored our needs until our common interests were achievable,” said Stu Barger, EvCC vice president for instruction. Providence “has employees with credentials to be EvCC faculty. It also has employees interested in developing their skills to become RNs.

“The benefit to the county is a work force that is trained in the county, and will likely stay in the area to work,” he said.

Although some Providence employees will enter the six-quarter-long nursing program, it is open to the general student population, EvCC said.

Forty nursing students began the program this fall. Over six quarters, the number of nursing students is expected to approach 190 — the largest number of nursing students ever enrolled at the college, said Patty Black, dean of vocational education/nursing/health professions at EvCC.

Even with the increased educational capacity, the supply gap remains, according to EvCC, noting that even if it were to double the number of graduates, it would supply only 16 percent of the annual need for registered nurses in Snohomish and King counties.

But the grant is a step toward meeting that need, officials at Providence and EvCC said.

“This grant will provide another avenue of partnering in a unique opportunity to support nurse training, retention, with improved skill development, and job satisfaction for nurses,” said Providence chief executive Gail Larson.

EvCC President Charlie Earl agreed.

“Two years ago we set out to double the number of students graduating from our nursing program. Accomplishing our goal in a partnership with Providence is a big deal in terms of the college’s strategic directions,” he said.

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