Murray State College

PROJECT PURPOSE

The Murray State College (MSC) motto, "From Here ...You Can Go Anywhere" is the premise that guides efforts to make seamless career paths for students from high schools, Career Technology Centers, as well as for non-traditional students By offering Nursing and Allied Health programs, MSC is contributing high skilled workers to the workforce which so desperately needs health care professionals that has widened due to the COVID pandemic. MSC is a major provider of nurses in the surrounding area, therefore we must enhance the nursing programs ability to educate and graduate competent safe nurses to help close this gap. MSC currently partners with Mercy Hospital in Ardmore Oklahoma, offering the Nursing program at the Mercy facility, which has helped to create employment pathways for MSC nursing graduates and meet Mercy's workforce needs. MSC is currently working on a partnership with Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SE) in Durant Oklahoma to offer MSC's Nursing program on the SE campus to help with the workforce needs of AllianceHealth Durant and surrounding areas. Due to these expansions, MSC will need additional simulation/skills lab equipment in all three teaching locations to accommodate the increase in student population. The new state of the art equipment will help produce a workforce of highly accomplished and safe practitioners to address the industry gap.

EVIDENCE

None

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Rural populations face increasing disparities in many health outcomes and a significant gap in life expectancy compared to urban populations. At the heart of these disparities is a lack of access to healthcare, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many rural areas have a shortage of healthcare providers and lack a hospital or similar facility. Many rural hospitals have closed or at financial risk of closure, which further impairs the local healthcare workforce. Nursing care is instrumental in achieving quality outcomes for patients, families, and communities and is the largest sector of the healthcare workforce. This situation is especially true in rural areas. Given the lack of access to specialists, the rural nurse is essential, treating patients with diverse and sometimes complicated conditions. Rural nurses are generalists, providing any care needed, such as dispensing medicine and treating patients with acute health problems or injuries for transfer to larger facilities. Many rural nurses have spent their entire lives in the same community and possess a deep understanding of the community. This proposal will address the shortage of healthcare providers by creating an increase in professional nurses in those rural areas that are most at risk.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The three most common performance outcome measures used by Boards of Nursing (BON) and other health profession accreditors are employment rates, graduation rates, and NCLEX pass rates.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma