Rogue Community College has received a state grant award to support expansion of its nursing program.
In September, the Oregon Higher Education Coordination Commission awarded RCC a Workforce Ready: Innovation in Workforce Program of nearly $970,000.
The funds will support the expansion of RCC's nursing program and will help meet the demand for registered nurses (RNs), improve nursing education and strengthen the healthcare workforce. Funds will be distributed over three years to RCC and its project partners -- Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center and Providence Medford Medical Center.
According to a recent study by Oregon Longitudinal Data Collaborative, there is a significant unmet demand for registered nurses across the state. Existing training programs are unable to produce enough graduates to meet the demand, with only 23% of qualified applicants admitted to RN programs.
The shortage of RNs is also prevalent locally, as evidenced by Asante that has 347 vacant RN positions across its two-county healthcare system. Providence Medford Medical Center has approximately 40 open RN positions.
The college's initiatives aim to mitigate these barriers with three strategies: improving simulation education, obtaining program accreditation and addressing the pay gap for clinical faculty.
Historically, Workforce Ready Grants advance opportunities to recruit and retain a diverse workforce in key sectors of Oregon's economy including healthcare, manufacturing and technology.
