CampusRN Job Blog
Federal grant creates opportunities for community college nursing students
Sunday, January 11, 2009
In the midst of an economic recession, Dodge City Community College’s allied health department has updated its program with the help of a federal Community-Based Job Training nursing grant.
The three-year, $1.9 million grant was awarded to the allied health department in January 2007. The school received the funding to address an increasing need for health care workers in this region of the country.
“Primarily the goal is to increase the registered nurses in the work force,” said Janelle Oliver, nurse and CBJT project specialist.
Oliver said the nursing profession offers job security and more flexibility than many people realize. People have the option of working as a teacher, a manager or a part-time nurse in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and hospices.
“It’s a very diverse field, and it works well for moms,” Oliver said. “As your life changes, your job can change with you.”
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts there will be about 1 million new job openings for registered nurses by 2010, with a 27 percent shortage for registered nurses projected in southwest Kansas.
If the shortage is not addressed, the Labor Department predicts that 1.4 million registered nurses will be needed by 2014, with an average starting pay of $38,000.
Fifty percent of nurses are over the age of 48, so this shortage could worsen as the baby boom generation retires.
Jan Harding, professor of online nursing courses at Dodge City Community College, said that many people are needing jobs in the worsening economy, and the allied health department offered a great opportunity to start a new career.
“They can keep their jobs and go through the program,” she said. “Opportunities are vast for people out there looking for a new career.”
posted in: Kansas
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By online jobs on 2010 02 11