Autry Technology Center (ATC)

PROJECT PURPOSE

Nurses are in high demand due to the impact of COVID, early retirements, and the historically large population over 65. The current nurses and their patients, specifically within hospitals, are being negatively impacted by this shortage. Through this grant, ATC would increase our existing high school Health Careers Certification program by one teacher and we would begin a high school LPN Pathway program. This program will include adding one instructor for the LPN Pathway program. This would allow us to increase training opportunities for up to 24 students per year. ATC will work with our 10 partner high schools to prepare their students to enter this program. We will also work with Northern Oklahoma College to create a career pathway into their Registered Nurse (RN) program. Students may elect to move directly to industry to work in their respective skills and certifications earned through ATC. Creating this career pathway will assist in meeting this increasing demand both now and in the future.

EVIDENCE

There is evidence of need for more nurses due to three specific areas: 1) Impact of COVID-19 on the staffing needs of healthcare systems, 2) Early retirements from nursing, and 3) the aging population within our nation and our state. These three areas, including the specific need for more nurses within Oklahoma, are covered in the attached documentation, along with sited sources.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The students who would benefit from this program will be high school students under the age of 18 who have completed basic health careers training and received their Long Term Care Nurse Aid certification that are on a pathway to becoming a LPN and/or RN. Students under age 18 are at a disadvantage in being able to complete LPN and RN programs because of age requirements at clinical sites. This pathway would allow students to learn theory and practice skills through simulation before moving into the LPN and/RN clinicals at facilities. High school students pay no tuition for our educational programs, including this one, based on our funding structure. This positively affects students on this tract in lowering time needed in postsecondary education as well as tuition costs.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Both the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the Oklahoma Board of Nursing collect data yearly on Licensed Practical Nursing programs. This data includes the number of students who meet entrance requirements, enrollment, completion, and the number of students taking the (NCLEX-PN). ODCTE?s follow-up data on employment one-year post-graduation, workplace, and salary. The OBN data allows the public to easily see a trend of more students, more graduates, and more credentialed nurses. As the ultimate determinate of success will be measured by qualified completers finding and keeping employment, the data is present with no additional resources necessary.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

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