Vermont Business Magazine What if you always wanted to become a nurse, but never had access or opportunity? Then, an employer like Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, provided you with an easy way to get your education while you are working, with no financial outlay on your part. This week, nine SVMC hospital employees were invited to participate in SVHC’s RN Apprenticeship Pathway – a strategic partnership between the hospital, Vermont Talent Pipeline, Vermont State University (VTSU), Community College of Vermont (CCV), and Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC).
Named a Vermont “Best Places to Work” recipient time and again, and a five-time Magnet Hospital for over 20 years consistently, SVHC is unique in its quality of culture. Pam Duchene, Chief Nursing Officer and VP for Patient Quality recognized the difficulty in hiring nurses from outside the Bennington area. With a challenge of housing throughout New England, and the high cost of traveling nurses, SVHC supports its employees in growing their skills from within the organization and community, and now provides an opportunity to do so in nursing. None of the RN apprentices fall into the category of “traditional” student — all are working at the hospital in a current role. “These are some great employees. We know them and want to encourage advancement in their healthcare careers. This is a supportive economic opportunity for our entire community, and we hope it results in more interest in healthcare careers.”
Photo: Director of Organizational Development and Magnet Program Director at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Alison Camarda, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CEN, CPEN, SANE
The program pre-qualifies individuals who show interest in nursing via a readiness checklist developed by CCV and VSAC. For those who meet the standard, their hospital supervisors provide a letter of support which allows them to interview with Nursing staff management. Up to ten students per year will be selected by the hospital to enter the cohort for the RN education pathway, with paid release time for education. Year one consists of Allied Health Prerequisite courses delivered by CCV. Year two is a Practical Nurse pre-licensure certificate program delivered by Vermont State University, and year three, RN prelicensure associate degree program. In exchange for student loan repayment, employees agree to work for the hospital for three years post-licensure as an RN.
Photo: Congratulations to the SVMC RN Apprentices, pictured left to right: Adam Mann, Heidi McHugh, Ashlee Billert, Ariana Sausville, Rachel Lazelle, John Dell’Anno. (Not pictured: Leeore Forth, Miranda Bovey, Kendrah Longtin).
The launch for the program is funded in part by a grant from Senator Leahy to the VBR Research and Education Foundation, and its partnership with VSAC. The program’s sustainability features include a VSAC loan repayment model which repurposes tuition assistance, emphasizing financial aid and an employer-sponsored student loan for short-term repayment by the hospital. Other sustainability features include the preparation of practicing nurses as clinical educators, in accordance with VTSU accreditation standards to expand the number of students in nursing education; and providing wraparound support for apprentices in the form of mentorship, socio-economic counseling, academic support and financial aid counseling. When SVMC’s RN apprentices were asked who they would lean on for support through the program, most said they lean on their colleagues and supervisors – one sign of a healthy work culture. We congratulate SVMC apprentices in a successful 2023 educational kickoff!
VBR Research and Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, created by the Vermont Business Roundtable to promote educational opportunities for Vermonters to thrive in a local and global economy. Vermont Talent Pipeline hosts a statewide, demand-driven healthcare employer collaborative to help fill critical skill gaps and to align those with training programs for Vermonters.
Source: 7.25.2023. (Bennington, VT) Vermont Talent Pipeline. Vermont Business Roundtable
