CSI aims to improve statewide nurse shortage

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — “There’s been a shortage for quite a number of years; we’ve known that for quite some time,” said Barry Pate.

Dr. Barry Pate, the Dean of Career and Technical Education at the College of Southern Idaho, says it is difficult to fill vacant nurse positions in Idaho. As a result, the college decided to collaborate with Idaho State University to improve the statewide nursing shortage.

“A lot of the hospitals, including St. Luke’s, are interested in hiring nurses at the bachelor’s level,” Dr. Pate said. “We can’t do that internally, so our partnerships with ISU allow students to transfer and finish the bachelor’s degree.”

Since CSI is a community college, it only offers nursing programs at the associate’s level. The partnership with ISU will allow CSI to produce as many qualified nurses as possible and allow students to complete the required clinical experiences at St. Luke’s Magic Valley and other local facilities.

“St. Luke’s also provides scholarships for their employees that are in our nursing program where everything is paid for, I mean books, uniforms, shoes, stethoscope, everything,” said Leanna Hanson, lead coordinator for first-year nursing students at CSI.

Hanson said additional funding opportunities exist, including an apprenticeship with St. Luke’s, the Idaho Launch, which provides $8,000 to Idaho students, and more. The program is first come, first served.

“You have to have a 3.0 [GPA] in the nursing pre-requisites and a specific T-score in order to apply for the program,” Hanson said.

The new accelerated program is only 12 months long; students can remain in Magic Valley to complete it.

“We appreciate partnering with ISU and trying to find ways they can get bachelor’s training without having to move to another city or another state because a lot of them are not able to do that,” Dr. Pate said.

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