Memorial Health, Illinois College
Announce Nursing Education Partnership
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[June 13, 2023]
Memorial
Health and Illinois College have announced a partnership aimed at
relieving the long-term regional nursing shortage by expanding capacity
in the College’s nursing program.
Memorial Health has pledged $4 million to help Illinois College educate
more students in its bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program, as
well as support student success for those enrolled in pre-nursing
studies. Half of the funds Memorial has pledged to IC will go toward
student scholarships aimed at making nursing education more affordable
for Central Illinois students.
“Nationwide research shows that more than 80,000 students interested in
nursing were turned away from nursing programs in 2019 alone due to lack
of capacity,” said Marsha Prater, senior vice president and chief
nursing officer at Memorial Health. “The COVID-19 pandemic has only
increased those pressures. Our goal in partnering with Illinois College
and other local schools of nursing is to provide the resources they need
to educate more nurses and ensure we have a thriving health care
workforce in central Illinois.”
The BSN program at Illinois College currently graduates
approximately 20 nurses each year. The partnership with Memorial Health
is expected to increase that number to 100 within the next five years by
expanding state-of-the-art simulation facilities for hands-on learning
and adding new nursing faculty.
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“Illinois College inspires students’ achievement and
through this exciting partnership with Memorial Health we will
empower even more future nurses to make a difference in the world,”
said Illinois College President Barbara A. Farley. “Many of our
graduates have gone on to careers at Memorial Health and
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, and we are grateful Memorial has
committed to help more future nurses get the education they need to
be successful.” Memorial Health
President and CEO Ed Curtis said that educational partnerships are
an essential component of Memorial’s long-term strategy to
strengthen the local health care workforce.
“Partnerships like this one benefit not only Memorial Health and
Illinois College, but the entire region,” he said. “The steps we are
taking now will ensure Memorial and other health care organizations
can continue caring for local residents in the decades to come.
We’re pleased to have Illinois College as a partner in that work.”
Memorial has partnerships with other colleges and universities
across the region, including University of Illinois at Chicago –
Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, Illinois State
University’s Mennonite College of Nursing and Richland Community
College.
[Anne Davis]
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