Nursing education in Ross County is growing again, this time through a partnership between Ohio University-Chillicothe and the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Classes started earlier last week at the VA, providing 30 additional people the ability to start prerequisites needed to be eligible for selection to the associate's of applied science degree in nursing at OU-C. Math, chemistry and English evening classes are offered on the VA campus by OU-C staff. Currently, a dozen of the openings are filled.
"I think it's an advantage to the VA because you have the hospital facility and you're training onsite," said Joyce Atwood, resource development coordinator.
The arrangement also makes it convenient for VA staff interested in the program, added Charlotte McManus, associate director of OU-C's nursing program.
"There are several LPNs out there who might be interested to go into our LPN to RN program. We could get them in a little sooner with the collaboration with the VA," McManus said.
The extent of the partnership still is being determined, but it is possible the nursing classes and labs could be offered at the VA as well, McManus added.
"They have what we need if we do offer it there," she said, adding her students already do some clinical work at the VA.
Jeff Gering, VA director, is excited about the partnership as well as another venture that beings this summer. Starting in July, the VA will be assigned a group of students doing their medical residencies, a first for the Chillicothe VA and unusual for a smaller VA facility, Gering said.
"They find 17 to 20 percent of residents stay in the area where they complete their residency, so this will help the whole community as well," Gering said.
Although OU-C has graduated more than 600 nurses since beginning the program in 1993 and the long waiting list for those interested in the program, neither McManus nor Atwood feel there is any danger of the industry getting flooded.
"I've never seen it flooded; I've been in nursing since 1978 ... I've never had any of my students turned away from a job. All of them get jobs before graduating or a few weeks after graduating," McManus said.
Actually, the need is continuing to grow as baby boomers become older and have more health care needs. However, the higher demand is for RNs, McManus added, and many places are encouraging and providing incentives for their LPNs to continue their education.
In recent years, OU-C has utilized partnerships to expand its program. The nursing program works with Adena Regional Medical Center, Berger Hospital and Ohio Christian University, to name a few.source
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