With a new, five-hospital campus opening in a couple of years, Intermountain Health Care officials figured they'd be needing several hundred more nurses in a market that's already tight. They decided to grow their own.
Friday evening, about 30 Utahns received their associate degree in nursing as part of a collaboration between IHC and Salt Lake Community College. The students worked for the health-care system a minimum of 24 hours a week while studying and were paid for their time. Their tuition also was paid for them, in exchange for a commitment to work for IHC for at least two years.
The program was created by Alta View, Cottonwood, The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital and LDS hospitals and the SLCC nursing program almost two years ago.
"This is a great way that industry has contributed to help address the nursing shortage," said Betty Damask-Bembenek, director of SLCC's nursing program. "We've had expertise to deliver nursing education. Our limitation was space and funding. Together, we are able to address the shortage."
It also relieves some stress for the students, she said. They know they have a job, both now and when they graduate.
The students will be licensed practical nurses when they graduate. Those who want to pursue a bachelor's degree and become registered nurses can do so with IHC's ongoing employee tuition program.
The nursing shortage challenge, at least in this area, hasn't been a shortage of people interested in the field as a career. It's been a lack of funding for instructors and materials. The biggest challenge, said Jess Gomez, LDS Hospital spokesman, "has been classes available to teach those who are interested."
Students had first to meet SLCC's criteria for its nursing school. Then IHC and SLCC looked at recommendation letters collaboratively to select students. Another class will graduate in December, this time with 60 students. And there are other classes on their heels, as well.
Nancy Adams, human resources director at LDS Hospital, said that her hospital by itself has 60 full-time nursing positions open.
The number of students in the paid-tuition program has been based on the projected need, she said. The opening of Intermountain Medical Center in 2007 means that IHC will need additional nurses in the next few years.
E-mail: lois@desnews.com