During nationwide nursing shortage, Cape Fear Community College sees no shortage of nursing students
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — For decades, nursing has been known as a job that will always be in demand, and now, more true than ever, that remains true as the nationwide nursing shortage continues.
According to a recent study, Cape Fear Community College’s Associate Degree in Nursing Program ranks number one in the state. In an effort to maintain that quality, CFCC’s President Jim Morton says they are always looking for ways to enhance the nursing program.
In 2020, the college reintroduced the accelerated program that allows a licensed practical nurse to go back to school and become a registered nurse in only one year.
While there’s a shortage in nurses, there’s no shortage in students. This spring, they added a new cohort of around 30 students to the program.
“The number of students applying is great for us, but we’d love to enroll more,” Morton said. “We obviously want to produce more nurses, more high-quality nurses.”
Emma Bone started in the ADN program this fall. Before starting the program, she says she was both intimidated and motivated by the nursing shortage.
“Like, okay why are you leaving? But then you also kind of like, okay well maybe I have a better chance of getting my foot in that door and I can be a part of this change. Make things better, make healthcare better,” Bone said.
The program did not earn the ranking of number one in the state because it’s the easiest. Morton says there’s about a 40 percent retention rate of first-year students. However, the demanding curriculum produces high test scores on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses. A passing rate on this exam is required for a nurse to get their license.
CFCC’s program completion rate was 66 percent in 2020, 56 percent in 2021, and 50 percent in 2022. NCLEX pass rates for the program were 98 percent in 2020, 94 percent in 2021, and 97 percent in 2022.
“It’s really a rigorous program. You have your lecture, you have your labs, then you have the clinical sites you have to go to, and then studying. Many students try to do all this while maintaining a full-time job. That’s a lot to take on,” Morton said.
In addition to bringing on more tutors and advisors for allied health programs; just last year, Morton says they’ve added over $300,000 in scholarships. In the last two years, 116 scholarships have been awarded to nursing students.
“Scholarships to cover tuition and fees, but also to cover those wrap-around services like loss of income if they have to scale their job back so they can stay in school. So we’re really going to focus on those scholarship funds as well,” Morton said.
Whether financially or academically, Morton says they want to see students be successful.
“They will help you. Like no matter who it is, what department, things like that, they’re willing to help you,” Bone said.
CFCC is hosting an information session on its Nursing Program on Wednesday, October 12 at 2 pm.
For more information on the program, visit here.
