NJ vocational schools fast-track students into nursing (NJBIZ)

An aging workforce coupled with an aging population have led the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to project that health care occupations will outpace all other categories in job growth over the next decade. Add burnout of current professionals into that equation, and the demand for new talent becomes even greater.

New Jersey’s county vocational-technical schools have a proposed solution with programs that accelerate high school students’ training and preparation for health careers. Given health care is a major employer and contributor to New Jersey’s GDP, the schools are creating clear pathways for students to enter this industry and begin making meaningful contributions.

Later this month, Monmouth County Vocational School District will celebrate the official launch of its Nursing Bridge to Excellence program. The first cohort of students began in September in a unique program that offers a smooth academic transition from high school to Brookdale Community College, where they can earn an associate degree in nursing, and then to Kean University, where they can achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

The three schools partnered to make it possible for motivated young people to pursue nursing through a seamless, cost-effective, and flexible route. Students start at MCVSD in a two-year program, where they focus on their career education and check off all the prerequisites for Brookdale’s ADN program.

If students stay on course, they can complete two years of the nursing curriculum and clinicals at Brookdale before moving on to complete their bachelor’s degree. Participation in the Bridge program guarantees students’ acceptance into the Brookdale and Kean degree programs if all necessary requirements are met.

Following their first two years of instruction at MCVSD, Bridge program students will have the opportunity to take the written and practical exams to become home health aide eligible. They can become a certified home health aide after completing clinical hours, which will then give them the option to work as they continue their studies.

Passing the baton

“Once the students graduate from Brookdale and pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam, students then have another option; they can work as an RN [registered nurse] and most likely receive tuition reimbursement while they complete their bachelor’s degree at Kean,” said MCVSD Pre-Nursing Instructor Betsy Antoniello, who teaches the Bridge students.

Antoniello said she already knows the inaugural class of students is committed to remaining on this fast track.

“The students are dedicated and focused on beginning their nursing journey; a pathway many have always dreamed about,” she said. “Just weeks in, students are already training in our on-site simulation nursing lab to prepare for upcoming clinical rotations at area hospitals.”

“The Bridge program hyper-focuses students on a future in health care; we get them in a hospital almost immediately as juniors to not only see nurses in action, but also respiratory therapists, physical therapists and others,” said Megan Labas, principal of MCVSD’s Shared-Time Programs. “If they follow the exact sequence of the new program, they will be on track to earn a BSN or another bachelor’s degree to pursue a career in healthcare with eyes open to what they want to do and how to achieve it.”

Antoniello said as a registered nurse herself, it is rewarding to teach the next generation, and, as she put it, “pass the baton.”

A new space to train

At Ocean County Vocational Technical School, the district’s two-year pre-nursing program moved last fall into a new, specially designed classroom at Ocean County College in Toms River. The move enabled the program to nearly double in size and also elevate the curriculum from a certified nursing assistant to a pre-nursing focus.

Christine Santasieri, principal of the Toms River OCVTS campus, said the Ocean County commissioners recognized the school’s need for additional space given its consistent waiting list. They saw the opportunity to support the school’s growth, specifically in nursing, where the employment gap is expected to continue widening, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

“The commissioners worked with Ocean County College and OCVTS administrations, bringing us together to create a beautiful lab full of equipment and technology to support students’ learning,” added Santasieri.

Similar to MCVSD’s program, pre-nursing at OCVTS is a two-year, shared-time program, and those two years are highly focused on preparing future health care professionals. Both the curriculum and the new classroom space help OCVTS students graduate ready to either begin work right away or transition into a two- or four-year degree program. A partnership with Toms River-based Encompass Health helps students earn clinical hours and connect with health care professionals to add to their career readiness.

“Our students can graduate high school with a patient care technician certification and other CPR and OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] certifications to further qualify them to work in health care,” Santasieri explained.

As the pre-nursing program continues evolving, Santasieri anticipates groups of students forming to pursue college credits outside of the already available dual credit options with Ocean County College (Anatomy and Physiology I and II). She sees them having a more direct path to complete requirements for the college’s RN program.

Currently, pre-nursing graduates have the option to apply to OCVTS’ Licensed Practical Nurse program, an accelerated 10-month Adult Education program that boasts nearly a 100% pass rate for the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination).