Mid-America Technology Center PN Select

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, MATC would increase our existing high school Health Careers Certification program by one teacher, and we would begin a high school LPN Select program. This program will start with one teacher the first year and move to two teachers the next year. This would allow us to increase our nursing program by 24 students per year. MATC will work with our eighteen partner high schools, to prepare their students to enter this program. We will also work with Oklahoma City Community 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 MATC. 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 both high school and adult students. High school students pay no tuition for our educational programs, including this one, based on our funding structure. Adults pay a low, affordable tuition rate and have the ability to apply for federal assistance such as Pell Grants and VA Benefits. This allows us to serve a population in which continuing education would be financially not feasible.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Mid-America Technology Center has implemented a Program Quality Indicator Framework. Within this quality system, we have a strategic plan that outlines Quality Indicators which include goals. There are 13 Quality Indicators that will be used to measure and monitor the success of this program through student follow-up and data collection methods. These 13 Quality Indicators are outlined in the attached documentation.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

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