Wayne Community College is getting a new clinical nursing instructor thanks to a partnership with UNC Health Wayne.
The local hospital will be paying for the salary and benefits of one clinical nursing instructor for the college for a five year period.
The college hopes this partnership will help address two challenges with one program — bolstering enrollment and addressing the nursing shortage.
The nationwide nursing shortage has only gotten worse since the pandemic. If trends continue, North Carolina is forecasted to be among the top five states for nursing shortages by 2026.
According to N.C. Nursecast data, the state could face a shortage of an estimated 17,500 nurses by 2033, made up of 12,500 registered nurses (RNs) and around 5,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs).
Wayne Community College’s relationship with UNC Health Wayne spans decades.
The hospital has been the first choice for clinical site placements for the college’s nursing program students, and thy end up hiring the majority of the nursing program graduates.
Last year, UNC Health Wayne hired between 75-80% of Wayne Community College’s nursing class.
“It has been a longstanding relationship and a strong relationship,” said Dr. Patricia Pfeiffer, president of Wayne Community College. “This partnership shows the mutually important relationship education, business, and industry have to meet workforce demands.”
In 2019, the hospital paid for a clinical nursing instructor for the college for two and a half years after the hospital requested that the college increase spots in their nursing program.
The impact of the pandemic, however, made it challenging to assess the effectiveness of this partnership.
Wayne, along with many community colleges, experienced lower enrollment and completion rates during the pandemic.
Even so, the program was positive for both parties, Dr. Pfeiffer said, and they decided to pursue a five-year contract.
