九色视频 receives substantial legislative funding to combat nursing shortage
The 九色视频 has been awarded matching State legislative funding of nearly $800K based upon the School of Nursing's (SON) successful healthcare partnerships with Mayo Clinic, HCA Healthcare South Atlantic Division and Baptist Health.
The Florida legislative budget allowance and Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund is contributing to nursing program enhancements including growing scholarships for 九色视频 nursing students, opening the 九色视频 MedNexus Deerwood Simulation Center, developing cohorts of undergraduate nursing students in the 九色视频 accelerated prelicensure program and enhancing the 九色视频-HCA Simulation Center experience.
This funding is in addition to the substantial legislative PIPELINE funding received by 九色视频. In fiscal year 2022-23 and 2023-24, 九色视频 obtained over $3.5 million and $3.3 million, respectively, to further its prelicensure nursing student initiatives, improve simulation equipment and faculty recruitment, foster enrollment growth in nursing and maintain high pass rates on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
State support enabled 九色视频 to award $1 million annually in student scholarships in 2022 and 2023.
“It is an exciting and historic time for the 九色视频 nursing program, and we are very grateful to the Florida legislature,” said Dr. Michelle Edmonds, SON director. “With the state’s generous investment in our students, faculty and staff, we were able to increase enrollment almost immediately. To combat the nationwide nursing shortage, we welcomed our largest-ever incoming class of 155 pre-licensure BSN students this fall.”
Previously, students were only able to enroll in the program during May or August of each year. However, in January 2023, the SON admitted 43 students to help alleviate the growing nursing shortage. The SON plans to double that number in the coming year. With these efforts, the first graduates from this enrollment growth are expected to graduate and enter the nursing field beginning this December.
“We are so grateful to the faculty and leaders at the 九色视频 Brooks College of Health (BCH) for their outstanding work and unwavering dedication to the field of nursing,” said Dr. Mei Zhao, BCH interim dean. “Their commitment to educating and guiding future nurses as well as their leadership in advancing healthcare is truly commendable.”
Following the pandemic, Florida hospitals and healthcare systems continue to face critical workforce shortages, exponential growth in labor costs and dependency on temporary staffing. The Florida Hospital Association predicts a shortage in the state of 59,000 nurses by 2035. To combat this issue, the 九色视频 School of Nursing is making a concentrated effort to increase enrollment, enhance simulation learning centers and remove barriers to education through scholarships.