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 “This
exciting partnership will ultimately improve the lives and health of
the people in the communities we serve,” said Ed Curtis, president
and CEO of Memorial Health, who announced the initiative along with
ISU President Terri Goss Kinzy at a press conference at the Memorial
Learning Center. “This region, along with the nation and all of
Illinois, faces a severe shortage of nurses. With our support, ISU
can produce more registered nurses to serve the health care needs of
the communities we serve.”
According to a recent American Association of Colleges of Nursing
report, 80,407 qualified applicants were turned away from
baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2019 due to an
inadequate number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space and
other factors. This contrasts sharply with the growing demand for
nurses. As an indicator, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts
175,900 job openings for registered nurses annually through 2029.
Many factors contribute to the nursing shortage, including
retirements from the profession and other sources of workforce
attrition and an increasing number of older adults in need of health
care.
The new MCN location is expected to enroll its first class for fall
2023, with 24 to 48 undergraduate students anticipated in the
initial cohort. Students will learn in a renovated building located
at 200 N. Grand Ave. West, as well as at Memorial Health clinical
sites, giving them a wide breadth of educational experiences.
“Plain
and simple, we need more nurses, and we need them here in South
Central Illinois,” said Judy Neubrander, MCN’s Dean. “By recruiting
from the South Central Illinois area and with the opportunities
Memorial can provide, we hope they will stay here after graduation.”
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MCN has a 100-plus year history and joined ISU in 1999. The
college enrolls a freshman class of about 170 each fall, a number that has grown
consistently over the years. With a NCLEX pass rate of 96 percent, beating both
the state and national average by 14 points, the program is highly sought after
by prospective students.
“If we want to proactively address the increasing shortage of
nurses, a partnership like this is perfect. It gives our program more capacity
and provides a talent pool for health care facilities right here in the heart of
Illinois. It’s a win-win-win,” Neubrander said.
“We hope many of these future graduates will continue to make the Springfield
region their home,” said Marsha Prater, senior vice president and chief nursing
officer for Memorial Health.
Memorial Health hospitals have received multiple Magnet and Pathway to
Excellence designations, which recognize the highest standards of nursing
quality.
“We look forward to providing these future nurses the opportunity to practice in
an award-winning professional practice environment that has committed to raising
the bar of nursing excellence, again and again.”
The curriculum and quality at the Springfield location will mirror that of the
Normal campus. Prospective students can apply for the Springfield program now at
nursing.illinoisstate.edu.
[Bre Linstromberg Copper]
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