FAIRMONT – If you’d like to become a registered nurse and you already work in the field, Pierpont Community & Technical College is ready to help you bridge that gap.
The school in Fairmont has launched its “Registered Nurse Bridge Program,” which will fast-track the process for licensed practical nurses and paramedics looking to advance their careers.
With the state of West Virginia projecting an additional demand of more than 20,000 registered nurses over the next five years – the numbers are from the industry journal Nursing Education – the prescribed regimen, Dr. Michael Waide said, couldn’t be more critical.
Call it, “innovation with impact,” said Waide, a licensed medical laboratory scientist and Pierpont’s interim president.
“By creating a direct path, Pierpont is helping experienced professionals while meeting the urgent need for skilled nurses across our region,” he said.
Students will receive credit for prior learning and clinical experience as they work through the program.
Graduates will be eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, which is their ticket to the workforce in their field.
Meanwhile, enhanced offerings in patient care, leadership and critical thinking will also be part of the Pierpont coursework, Waide continued – along with two other medical musts for the Mountain State.
“Our intentional approach to integrating rural mental health and addiction recovery into our curriculum will help us prepare for the challenges our health care heroes face daily,” he said.
The announcement by the community and technical school dovetails medically related news delivered last week by Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who detailed West Virginia’s application to the Rural Health Application Fund, a federal initiative.
West Virginia could receive up to $100 million annually over the next five years, which the governor said would exclusively be used to modernize rural health care.
