Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | July 18, 2022 15 Call us 800-475-2265 or visit washtrust.com Any bank can give you a decision. WE REPLACE red tape with local decision makers who can give you an answer quickly. James M. Hagerty Executive Vice President, Chief Lending Officer Julia Anne Slom Senior Vice President, Team Leader, Commercial Real Estate Anthony Botelho Senior Vice President, Team Leader Kevin Hanrahan Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Albert R. Clemente Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Thomas D. Pizzo Vice President and Market Leader, Commercial Banking Edward O. Handy III Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Member FDIC. health, among other topics. Students would wrap up their general and healthcare foundational courses in the second year and then embark on their first clinical experience, according to the application. The third and final year entails specialty and advanced classes, as students work alongside medical professionals and gain caregiving experience during clinical rotations. Arizona College of Nursing spokesperson Melany Stroupe said the college wouldn't comment on its Connecticut expansion "until we have the necessary approvals." Additional capacity Connecticut's nursing workforce shortage remains in a crisis stage due to a variety of factors, including the lasting effects of working during the pandemic, nurses aging into retirement, compensation issues, and a shortage of college faculty to train the next generation. A new nursing school in the state will not solve the crisis, but could help alleviate some of the shortage, experts said. "We welcome the Arizona College of Nursing. They have a good reputation and they should give us some additional seating capacity for RN students in the state so we can educate them," said Marcia Proto, executive director of the Connecticut League for Nursing and Connecticut Center for Nursing Workforce. Many in-state hospitals are expected to jump at the opportunity to partner with the school, experts said. Laprise, of Bristol Hospital, said her organization hasn't yet contacted the school, but does plan to reach out. Laprise said Bristol Hospital, which competes for talent with much larger players like Hartford Hospital, already has working partnerships with many of the state's two- and four-year schools, and some of its staff teaches at Quinnipiac University. Many colleges in Connecticut offer a nursing program but have been challenged to find enough faculty to meet student demand, partially because care providers often have to take a pay cut to transition to the classroom. Finding faculty could be a challenge for the Arizona College of Nursing. In East Hartford, Goodwin University also offers nursing programs. Kelli-Marie Vallieres, chief workforce officer for Gov. Ned Lamont since 2018, said a new nursing college in East Hartford would go a long way toward boosting the local economy. "Anytime you bring in an educational institution into a city or town, you attract students – many who live locally – from the region," Vallieres said. "We want them to learn in Connecticut and we want them to earn in Connecticut." Vallieres said it's vital that the new nursing school is located in a predominantly minority community. "Having the college in East Hartford will allow us to make sure we are bringing underrepresented people into the profession," she said. "We'd like to have more men and more people of color and more people in the underserved community engaged in the higher educational process." Marcia Proto Kelli-Marie Vallieres UHart to launch doctoral nurse program By Robert Storace rstorace@hartfordbusiness.com As the nursing shortage continues to be a challenge, the University of Hartford said it will be launching a new and fully online doctor of nursing practice program this fall. The new program is geared toward nurses who are looking to become qualified to teach in nursing programs, or who want to take on leadership roles within their hospitals or health systems, the school said. The 30-credit program includes at least 500 hours of practicum experiences that integrate classroom learning, promotes innovative thinking as an advanced practitioner, and develops new solutions for clinical and or system practice issues. The cost is $1,000 per credit, but UHart alum are eligible for a 25% tuition discount. Officials said those interested in taking the new program can apply for loans. UHart officials said enrollment in the school's current nursing program, which offers bachelor's and master's nursing degrees, increased by 45% in 2022. "While the pandemic has created, or in some areas intensified, significant challenges faced by nurses and other healthcare professionals, we have not seen interest in nursing as a career waning in the last couple of years, as had been anticipated across the profession," said Cesarina Thompson, dean of UHart's College of Education, Nursing and Health Professionals. Cesarina Thompson

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