You Can Do It!
All statewide RHORCs are actively helping with the coordination of new and expanded nursing programs. The following activities of the Los Angeles County RHORC (LA RHORC) are representative of the many creative programs being developed to reduce California's Nursing shortage.
The LA RHORC helped increase the capacity in L.A. County Community Colleges' ADN programs. Through a two-year IDRC Grant written and coordinated by the RHORC, Los Angeles City College (LACC) opened a new ADN program that has received BRN accreditation. LACC admitted the first class of 36 students in the fall of 2002. Matching funds from Kaiser Permanente Queen of Angels - Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital and Childrens Hospital Los Angels, supported this project.
Another IDRC Grant was written and coordinated by the LA RHORC for Glendale Community College. A program has been implemented with four LA Community Colleges and California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) to create a seamless ADN-BSN program. Glendale, Rio Hondo, Los Angeles Trade Tech and Mt. San Antonio College have expanded their first year nursing programs by twelve students each. At the end of the first year, these students will transition to CSULA as Juniors in the BSN program and in three years they will graduate with their BSN degrees.
These two projects will increase the number of nursing program graduates in LA County by up to 84 nurses per year. Additionally, the RHORC has written a HRSA Grant requesting funding for a partnership with Citrus Valley Health Partners. An additional 24 students will graduate from ADN programs on a yearly basis if this grant is also approved.
RHORC LA is partnering with the Welcome Back program to implement a NCLEX preparation program for Board Eligible Nurses. These are nurses who have taken the NCLEX State Board Exam and failed. The first class has completed the State Board Exam and 14 out of 15 nurses passed the Board.