Eight Hospitals Join to Increase Nursing Graduates

JACKSONVILLE -- Eight Northeast Florida hospitals have responded to the critical nursing shortage by making a combined gift of more than $1 million to the University of North Florida to fund additional faculty positions in the College of Health’s School of Nursing over the next five years. The increase in faculty will enable UNF to admit and graduate more nurses.

The announcement was made Tuesday at a joint ceremony with representatives of each of the hospitals. The participating hospitals are Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, Mayo/St. Luke’s Hospital, Memorial Hospital, Orange Park Medical Center, St. Vincent’s Health Systems, Shands Jacksonville and Specialty Hospital Jacksonville.

“This gift shows the confidence these outstanding hospitals have in the University of North Florida,” said UNF President Anne Hopkins. “I am enormously pleased that UNF and these eight outstanding hospitals have entered into this collaborative relationship to address the critical issue of the nursing shortage in Northeast Florida.”

There are two basic ways to become a baccalaureate-level nurse at UNF. Currently, UNF admits 72 students to the pre-licensure program. This more-traditional four-year program will be increased by 24 additional students. A second UNF nursing program also leading to a BSN in nursing is designed for nurses who already hold the R.N. and then seek a baccalaureate degree. An additional 24 nursing students will be admitted through a joint program established last year between FCCJ and UNF known as the Collaborative Nursing Program or Project CONECT.

“We need nurses,” said Dr. Pam Chally, dean of UNF’s College of Health. “If you or a loved one are in the emergency room and the doctor decides you need to be admitted you can sometimes wait and wait for a room. You think the problem is too many patients. Today, the problem is more likely to be not enough nurses available to open the beds.”

The gift was the result of a two-year, collaborative effort among hospital administrators and nursing educators about how to best meet the ever-increasing need for nurses. The money will create five and a half full-time faculty positions to support the additional nursing students.

Chally had words of praise for the chief executive officers at the eight hospitals. “This group of CEOs has shown incredible insight and leadership in making this gift. It will be used directly to educate more nursing students. The hospitals, community and patients will directly benefit.”

Chally said the cooperation among the hospitals and UNF in establishing this gift is just another chapter in the long, mutually-beneficial relationship the University has enjoyed with each of them.

The CEOs of the eight hospitals are: Robert Walters — Mayo/St. Luke’s Hospital, John Maher — St. Vincent’s Health Systems, Hugh Greene — Baptist Health, Rex Etheredge — Memorial Hospital, Ernie Ford — Specialty Hospital Jacksonville, Robert Krieger — Orange Park Medical Center, Charles Schauer — Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, Otis L. Story Sr. — Shands Jacksonville.