Cincinnati State Technical and Community College receives $1.5 million grant to expand Nursing program

On August 24, Commissioner Denise Driehaus and Hamilton County Commission President Alicia Reese paid a visit to Cincinnati State Technical and Community College to announce an investment of $1.5 million to help address the massive shortage of nurses in the area.

The grant money provided by the County will allow for the college to expand its associate degree Nursing program that provides students with the necessary skills to become credentialed as Registered Nurses, as well as the certificate programs for State-Tested Nurse Aide and Licensed Practical Nursing credentialing.

It was also stated that another goal of the grant funding is for more members of underrepresented backgrounds in Hamilton County to become RN or LPN nurses.

Federal stimulus money that originated from the The American Rescue Plan Act are responsible for funding of the grant.

According to data from the Health Collaborative, hospitals in the region currently have a vacancy rate when it comes to full time registered nurses of almost 15%, or around 1,500 nurses. There has not been a higher vacancy rate in two decades, and as a result, some hospitals are being forced to close beds needed by potential patients.

In an article posted on Cincinnati State Technical and Community College’s website, Alicia Reece, who serves as the Hamilton County Commission President, was quoted about this investment into the school, saying, “This investment is a critical step in addressing the nursing shortage in the County. The pandemic has made it even more clear that we need more nurses.”

Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus was quoted, as well, saying, “This is a great investment for our community. It will help to ensure that we have the nurses we need to care for our residents, reduce the burden of the nursing shortage on our area providers, and open more opportunities for those seeking a career in nursing.”

Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas weighed in, as well, saying, “We are proud to support the Cincinnati State nursing program. Providing the funding for top-of-the-line educational facilities, educators, and scholarships helps set students up for success when they enter the workforce.”

Currently, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is the region’s only college that offers a complete nursing education pathway all in one location. Students can progress from STNA to LPN to RN, and now with the new RN-to-BSN program, students can achieve their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The school’s graduates are often seen to achieve some of the highest passing rates on nursing licensure tests compared to any university or college in the region.

The President of Cincinnati State Dr. Monica Posey talked highly about the nursing programs, saying, “Our nursing programs have achieved the highest quality for many years, and we are grateful to Hamilton County for making this expansion possible. This will create wonderful opportunities for many students while providing more nurses to care for patients in Hamilton County.”

The $1.5 million in grant funding will be used to provide start up funding for a Nursing Success Strategies class to support students in their careers, offer scholarships to students in who are participating in the Cincinnati State nursing pathway, while prioritizing students from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds, provide one year startup salary and benefits for more instructions for the RN, LPN, and STNA programs, and build out and furnish a new LPN skills lab.

The project will also be operating in a number of partnerships with other organizations such as The Black Nurses Association of Greater Cincinnati, which will provide RN and LPN students with Mentoring Group Meetings during the project period, The Center for Closing the Health Gap, which will work to improve the recruitment of nursing students from Hamilton County, and The Health Collaborative, which will work with Cincinnati’s major health systems as well as other healthcare employers to ensure that nursing students receive access to high quality clinical training sites.

More information about Cincinnati State Technical and Community College can be found at the school’s website.