For students interested in a career in nursing, Valley College's Nurse Scholars Program provides a way to guarantee a position in the work field, which is becoming harder and harder to find work in.
Valley has teamed up with COPE Health Solutions and Valley Presbyterian Hospital to create the Nurse Scholars Program, which is funded by a $1.4 million grant from the UniHealth Foundation. Recently, 16 Valley students became the first graduating class to participate in the program. The students not only received full scholarships, they were also guaranteed full-time positions at Valley Presbyterian Hospital upon completion of the program.
"The program is very valuable because it pays for nursing school. I was also promised a job after graduation so I didn't have to worry about looking for employment," says Jeniffer Corado.
Corado, one of the 16 initial graduates, had a great experience with the program. She was provided with a mentor who walked her through any problems and issues as well as a hospital where she was able to do her clinical rotations and get to know the hospital staff.
"Overall, I believe that it is a great opportunity with lots of benefits," says the graduate.
David Zoltan, manager of the Health Workforce Transformation at COPE Health Solutions, states that one of the main benefits is the connection that the nursing students are able to develop with the hospital, staff, and educators at Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
"As the recently graduated Nurse Scholars are beginning their hospital orientation, there seems to be an automatic comfort level that would be difficult to develop without their being a part of the Nurse Scholars Program," Zoltan says.
To apply for the program, students must have completed all nursing school prerequisites, and supply references and school transcripts. Students must also be current hospital staff or Clinical Care Extender interns as well as sign a contract with Valley Presbyterian, committing to work at the hospital for a minimum of three years after graduation.
Twelve more Valley students are set to graduate in December 2010. Students that are interested in becoming a part of the Nurse Scholars Program can contact Health Science Department Chair, Mary Cox at coxma@lavc.edu.
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