According to studies from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, the United States is in the midst of a critical nursing shortage that is expected to continue through 2030. According to LinkedIn, as of February 2021, registered nursing was the fifth-most in-demand job in the American workforce, but the biggest contributing factor to the shortage is the high level of stress and burnout.
Education, especially flexible options for schooling is one of the strategies topping the list of solutions, and the Calhoun Community College Workforce Solutions (CWS) team is taking that strategy head-on by partnering with local home health care provider Senior Helpers to provide paid training opportunities for aspiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
Based on statistics, there are 62,700 employed RNs in the state of Alabama, and in 2019, the state population was 4,903,000. That means there are 12.8 RNs per 1,000 population.
To assist with retaining and attracting new individuals to the nursing field, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey reallocated $12.3 million in CARES Act funding to assist with Alabama’s nursing shortage.
Senior Helpers is also stepping up by offering students a $799 scholarship to cover fees such as training, background check and drug screening, as well as the two-part TB skin testing. Students who receive the scholarship automatically become employed with Senior Helpers. The only out-of-pocket cost to the students is $75 for the state certification exam fee.
According to Diane Peck, CWS project manager, the college’s six-week CNA training program provides real-world hands-on teaching. Students work on-site at an assigned long-term health care facility and are required to complete 20-hour clinical rotation shifts. They also receive lecture training that equips them with the knowledge and skillset necessary to immediately enter the workforce and provide direct patient care.
“CNAs are very hard to come by, with many senior citizens being directly affected by the shortage,” said Peck. “Sometimes it’s months until some senior citizens are assigned an at-home CNA, which has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for the state board exam, become certified, and be listed on the Alabama Nurse Aide Registry.
Classes begin April 18. Click here to learn more and apply.
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