University, hospitals being proactive about nursing jobs

By Jason Roth

Fri, Aug 20, 2010 (3 a.m.)

Nevada will need registered nurses. According to the Nevada of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation Department, nearly 5,500 new nurses will be needed statewide by 2016.

This amounts to growth in the registered nurse occupation of 37 percent through 2016, with an average annual growth rate of 3.2 percent.

This employment projection casts a glimmer of light on a state in the unenviable position of having the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 14.2 percent.

The University of Southern Nevada and St. Rose Dominican Hospitals have partnered to help shape Nevada’s workforce by preparing qualified registered nurses to meet the state’s future health care demand. As a result, career seekers and career changers who have a bachelor’s degree can become a registered nurse in 14 months through a new accelerated bachelor’s degree in nursing. The accelerated degree combines online courses and on-site labs taught by USN faculty with clinical rotations at St. Rose locations and other clinical sites in Southern Nevada.

“Nevada’s nursing shortage has decreased somewhat during the economic downturn,” said Dr. Mable Smith, dean of and professor at the USN College of Nursing. “As the economy improves, we will see the nursing shortage become critical. To help address this community issue, the university has joined forces with St. Rose Dominican Hospitals to address the region’s future need for nurses. We expect that people who enter into nurse education programs now will find a different employment environment at the end of their degree program as the economy rebounds. ”

To showcase the program, USN and St. Rose are holding a “Come Explore Nursing” education fair on Aug. 31 from 8-11 a.m. and at 4-7 p.m. at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals — San Martin Campus conference center, Rooms A and B, 8280 W. Warm Springs Road. To register for the free event or for more information, visit comeexplorenursing.com or call 877-885-8399.

The event will allow attendees to learn about the nursing profession, speak with St. Rose nurses from various units, learn about being a nurse at St. Rose and speak with St. Rose recruiters to learn about the hospital’s culture.

Attendees can also learn about USN nurse education programs, including the new 14-month nursing program that starts classes in October and is specially designed for adults who have a bachelor’s degree and want a new career or to change careers. USN instructors will be available to answer questions about the curriculum.

Experts agree that, as the economy improves, the demand for nurses will increase. Nurses who delayed retirement during the recession will retire. Part-time nurses who went full time because of an unemployed or underemployed spouse will resume their part-time schedules, and patients will seek treatment for elective procedures they postponed to save out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, health care reform and an aging Baby Boomer generation will create increased demand for nurses for an already stressed national health care system that will be short 1 million nurses by 2020.

Rod A. Davis, president and CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals added, “Our three hospitals are well-known for providing quality, compassionate health care for the community and our nurses are one of the main reasons we are able to provide that high level of care. We are looking forward to working with the USN College of Nursing to provide this much needed educational resource to our community.”

Jason Roth is the marketing and PR director for the University of Southern Nevada