Site
Sponsor

Hospital, College Partner to Address Critical Nursing Shortage

By: Steve Scheffler
| Published 01/17/2009

Linkedin

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital to Fund Nursing Faculty Position at Lone Star College-Montgomery

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Recognizing the critical need for qualified nurses, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital recently pledged to support Lone Star College-Montgomery with a dedicated salary for an additional nursing faculty member.

The annual contribution to the college, which totals approximately $57,000 per year, allows the college to continue to expand its nursing program, said Dr. Ron Dewlen, dean of natural science and health professions at LSC-Montgomery.

“We are so grateful for Memorial Hermann's recognition of the importance of our nursing program," said Dewlen. "Our program demands intense faculty interaction with our students, and an additional instructor will allow us to serve more students.”

“Memorial Hermann The Woodlands is extremely pleased to provide support to Lone Star College-Montgomery for an additional nursing faculty member,” said Susan Griffin, RN, chief nursing officer at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital. “This will allow additional qualified applicants to enter the profession of nursing. We enjoy a great partnership with Lone Star College and will continue to work closely to provide a great learning environment for student nurses. We are actively employing many as professional student nurses who we often hire full time after they complete their nursing curriculum.”

LSC-Montgomery offers several nursing programs, including the basic associate degree nursing (ADN) track, licensed vocational nursing (LVN), and a transition to professional nursing track for those LVNs and paramedics desiring to pursue the ADN track. The college also offers a certified nurse assistant (CNA) program.

Normally, the college has 114 students enrolled in its ADN and LVN programs. With the contribution from Memorial Hermann, the college will be able to expand the program by almost 10 percent, adding 10 students for the upcoming 2009-10 academic year--and each year thereafter.

According to Manijeh Azhang Scott, director of the LSC-Montgomery nursing program, the hospital's contribution couldn't come at a better time, considering the ongoing nursing shortage--both locally and nationally.

"The need for highly qualified nurses in Montgomery County and the surrounding area has only increased over time," said Azhang Scott. "Our students are highly sought after once they complete their program and pass the Board of Nursing’s certification/registration exam."

Nationally, the shortage of registered nurses could reach as high as 500,000 by 2025 according to a report released in March 2008 by Dr. Peter Buerhaus of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Dr. Douglas Staiger of Dartmouth University, and Dr. David Auerbach of the Congressional Budget Office. The report found that the demand for RNs is expected to grow by 2-3 percent each year.

For more information about LSC-Montgomery’s nursing program, visit the Web site below or call (936) 273-7030 and ask about the dates of the upcoming information sessions

Comments •
X
Log In to Comment