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Nursing Schools See Interest Grow As Economy Turns Bad

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By BILL RETTEW JR.

Highlands Today

Published: July 29, 2008

AVON PARK - Nursing student enrollment is up 10 to 15 percent since last year at South Florida Community College.

Student Susan Lindsay said Monday that she wants to become a nurse for the purest of reasons...and the cash.

Lindsay is a practical nursing student at SFCC. She gets pinned, or graduates, on Wednesday. She continues to work at Florida Hospital Heartland Division, which paid for her education.

"In school they gave us a nursing heart," said Lindsay. "We didn't start with it, but we ended with it.

Last year SFCC opened a 50,000-square-foot, $10.9-million state-of-the-art classroom and lab building. Enrollment for registered nurses, certified medical assistants, practical nurses and continuing education students stands at 96.

Michele Heston, director of nursing education at SFCC, talked about why the community college made the major commitment to health care professionals and built the Health and Science Education Center and why a nursing career is becoming more popular.

"There is always going to be a job in nursing," said Heston. "And you can further it in so many settings.

"Right now, industrywide - health care employment is No.1 - the industry leader."

Robin Solebello, a member of the SFCC nursing faculty, agreed with Heston.

"People perceive that nursing is a program that they will be able to find a job," said Solebello.

Kim Carroll, administrator at Balmoral Assisted Living Center in Lake Placid, said Florida has a shortage of nurses, with many hospitals and healthproviders willing to pick up a student's tuition bill in exchange for matching years of service.

Becky Sroda, associate dean of allied health at SFCC, talked about the shortage of nurses.

"There are more jobs than students to fill them," said Sroda. "All our nursing graduates have work."

Linsey Pratts, wellness director a Balmoral, wondered if some applicants might be getting into the health care profession for the wrong reasons.

"I hope people aren't just getting into it for the money," said Pratts. "You have to have a heart - there is a very heavy work load. You have to have the compassion."

Heston said that a glut of nurses shouldn't occur, since the state limits the number of students.

The school limits access to the program by requiring a minimum GPA prior to admission, students need to pass an entrance exam and must maintain a favorable GPA while enrolled.

Single mother Katherine Garcia said her kids wanted her to hit the books and attend classes at SFCC, where she said she got a great education.

"I love helping people, and the hands-on training make a difference," said Garcia. "When I put my head on the pillow at might, I can tell myself I made it better today."

Sroda talked about some of the changes she has seen during a 37-year career in health care industry, including a stimulator that realistically breathes, and how it better prepares students for work.

The mannequin forces students to act quickly and better their problem solving ability.

"It's one thing for you to tell them and it's a another thing for them to do it," said Sroda.

Jhonson Napoleon will start offering training sessions for nursing assistants, home health aides, surgical technology, certified nursing assistant and other health fields in Sebring starting in September. He said 44 prospective students showed to last Saturday's information session and most registered for classes.

"There's a real need for short term training," said Napoleon. "Students want to spend less and less time in school. For hospitals and clinics - technical school makes sense - a quicker way to train the work force."

Bill Rettew Jr.can be contacted at 386-5857 or wrettew@highlandstoday.com

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