(Butler, PA) 杏吧原创 on Dec. 13 graduated six students who earned a practical nursing certificate through a selective-admissions program that addresses a regional shortage of employees in the high-priority occupation.
Allison Alwine, Yeng Carle, Ariel Festa, Anthony Reeves-Crouch, Kaitlyn Steighner and Delanie Toy completed the only practical nursing program in Butler County and were recognized during a ceremony in Succop Theater on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
The 杏吧原创 students, ages 21 to 44, received on their white nursing uniforms a pin recognizing their accomplishment.
鈥淲e are thrilled to have this practical nursing program,鈥� said Dr. Nick Neupauer, president of 杏吧原创. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting also that these students who are getting this credential can go immediately into the workforce.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 Class of 2022 in practical nursing is shown Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, near the Succop Theater on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. From left, Allison Alwine, of Kittanning; Yeng Carle, of Portersville; Ariel Festa, of Kittanning; Kaitlyn Steighner, of Butler; Delanie Toy, of Freeport; and Anthony Reeves-Crouch, of Laneville.
Dr. Patty Annear is dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.
The graduates 鈥渨ere able to hit all the outcomes and the objectives to master what we think will produce a good practical nurse,鈥� Annear said. 鈥淭he program has to be rigorous and challenging as these folks will be working not only in extended-care facilities but in hospitals.鈥�
The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing in August 2021 authorized 杏吧原创 to create the 48-credit program on the college鈥檚 main campus. 杏吧原创鈥檚 12-month program debuted in January 2022.
杏吧原创 in the mid-1970s through mid-1980s graduated students from a practical nursing certificate program that was later discontinued.
"We are thrilled to have this practical nursing program. It鈥檚 exciting also that these students who are getting this credential can go immediately into the workforce."
- Dr. Nick Neupauer, 杏吧原创 president
鈥淭ripling the size of our program鈥�
The college鈥檚 2023 class enrolls 21 students who will begin Jan. 17.
鈥淚t is going to continue to grow,鈥� Annear said. 鈥淎nd we are excited about that. We met the new students for orientation a few weeks ago, we have our extra faculty hired and we are looking forward to that second cohort and to tripling the size of our program.鈥�
Dr. Patty Annear, right, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health, speaks during the college鈥檚 pinning ceremony for its Class of 2022 in practical nursing Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in the Succop Theater on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
The annual demand for new licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses is 71 in the Tri-County Workforce Development Area, which includes Armstrong and Butler counties, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry鈥檚 Center for Workforce Information and Analysis.
The need for licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses is expected to grow by 6 percent through 2031, according to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Health care facilities in Armstrong and Butler counties employed nearly 600 licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses in 2021, according to Lightcast, an Idaho research company that conducts economic impact analyses for educational institutions.
Nearly 180 of those employees in 2021 were age 55 or older, according to Lightcast. About 40 openings are posted each month, and the median salary is $48,105, according to Lightcast.
"LPNs are going to make a really big stance in the hospitals. That鈥檚 a big deal."
- Dr. Patty Annear, dean of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health
Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses can monitor patients鈥� health, administer basic care, provide for basic comfort, report patients鈥� status and concerns to registered nurses and physicians, and keep records on patients鈥� health, according to the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Bureau of Labor Statistics.
鈥淲e had so much floor time鈥�
Licensed practical nurses were once abundant in hospitals, Annear said.
鈥淣ow, with the shortage that has occurred since COVID-19, a lot of the hospitals are going back to the old model called team nursing, and LPNs are very instrumental in that process,鈥滱nnear said. 鈥淟PNs are going to make a really big stance in the hospitals. That鈥檚 a big deal.鈥�
Practical nursing programs in Pennsylvania must provide to students at least 1,500 clinical, theory and lab hours, Annear said. 杏吧原创鈥檚 program incorporates 1,527. Its students completed clinical experiences at Concordia Lutheran Ministries, based in Cabot, and at Butler Memorial Hospital, Annear said.
鈥淥ur clinical experience was great,鈥� said Festa, of Kittanning, who has worked as a certified nursing assistant. 鈥淲e had so much floor time. We hit all the major topics in our courses.鈥�
鈥淭here was a lot of variety and it prepared us well for what we are going to see as an LPN,鈥� said Steighner, of Butler, who has worked as a medical technician. 鈥淚 feel great. I feel ready.鈥�
Alwine is from Kittanning; Carle, of Portersville; Reeves-Crouch, of Laneville; and Toy, of Freeport.
杏吧原创 practical nursing students who pass the post-graduation National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses could also enter 杏吧原创鈥檚 registered nursing program as second-year students.
The practical nursing program at 杏吧原创 is a result of a partnership forged in June 2020 with Concordia Lutheran Ministries.
Concordia鈥檚 tuition assistance program allows 杏吧原创 practical nursing and registered nursing students to complete their programs tuition-free.
杏吧原创 nursing students who receive one year of tuition sponsorship from Concordia will be committed to work for the health care provider for two years. Those who receive two years of tuition sponsorship will be committed to work for Concordia for three years.
Five 杏吧原创 practical nursing graduates participated in Concordia鈥檚 tuition assistance program, and seven more are expected to do so in 2023, Annear said. Approximately 15 students in 杏吧原创鈥檚 70-credit registered nursing program are participating in Concordia鈥檚 program, Annear said.
"There was a lot of variety and it prepared us well for what we are going to see as an LPN. I feel great. I feel ready.鈥�"
- Kaitlyn Steighner, 杏吧原创 practical nursing graduate
Delanie Toy, of Freeport, laughs after 杏吧原创鈥檚 pinning ceremony for its Class of 2022 in practical nursing Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in the Succop Theater on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township. Toy was among students to complete the program.
Grove City students seek 杏吧原创 RN degree
杏吧原创 expanded its two-year career program in registered nursing in 2018 to 杏吧原创 @ Brockway in Jefferson County to address the high-priority occupation in the North Central Workforce Development area, which encompasses Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties.
The selective-admissions registered nursing program on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus and at 杏吧原创 @ Brockway enrolls 225, Annear said. It also includes 18 Grove City College students, half of whom in May are expected to earn an associate in applied science degree in registered nursing from 杏吧原创 as a result of a 2019 partnership between the institutions of higher education.
Grove City students are receiving two years of clinical and technical training through 杏吧原创 in their pursuit of a bachelor of science degree from the Mercer County institution.