The California Community Colleges announced recently the launch of a new initiative to increase the number of nurses to meet the growing needs of California’s aging and diverse population.

Twelve community colleges convened in a virtual kick-off of the associate degree for nursing demonstration project led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The goal of the initiative, part of the community colleges’ Vision 2030 strategic framework, is to increase enrollment in associate degree nursing programs to address the shortage of registered nurses in rural and remote areas while ensuring equity in access to the profession.

Forthcoming data by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) are expected to show regional nurse shortages. Areas with the greatest gaps include rural areas within the Northern and Sierra regions and are expected to worsen without intervention. This project’s focus also will ensure access to the profession and boost continued supply of RNs in other parts of the state to head off future shortages.

“This project will leverage the results of HCAI’s supply and demand models to make evidence-based decisions about where to expand nursing programs. No single institution can solve California’s health workforce challenges, but with a shared vision and evidence to guide us, HCAI, California Community Colleges and our many other critical partners can start to make concerted progress toward meaningful change,” said Libby Abbott, deputy director for HCAI Health Workforce.

The project will establish a statewide blueprint to increase nursing associate degree production with an emphasis on collaboration with regulatory and employer partners. It will also focus on supporting incumbent workers by developing flexible pathways that facilitate their entry into nursing programs.

The pilot program will involve a multifaceted set of key strategies designed to expand associate degree nursing program capacities across all community colleges, including:

• Integration of simulation labs to enhance hands-on learning experiences.
• Strategic scheduling processes to accommodate diverse student needs, including accelerated and fast-track programs, year-round schedules and admission timelines and evening cohorts.
• Increase in night rotations to provide flexible clinical experiences.
• Increase in hospital-based faculty members to expand program capacity and enrich educational experience for students.

During this demonstration project, colleges will be eligible to enroll on a rolling basis, with the next cohort starting in spring 2025 and new cohorts added each subsequent fall and spring semester.

The 12 colleges participating in the demonstration project are: Butte College, Cabrillo College, Monterey Peninsula College, Bakersfield College, Modesto Junior College, Cuesta College, Ventura College, Golden West College, Saddleback College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Riverside City College, and College of the Desert.

Check out the full release here.