Night, weekend nursing classes coming to State College of Florida

New options for future nurses at State College of Florida

Kimberly Kuizon reports

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - Some students have to support themselves while they get an education. The State College of Florida is hoping to help relieve nursing shortages by inspiring future nurses with additional schooling options.

The program at State College of Florida is giving future healthcare workers a hands-on learning experience. With the sound of an alarm, a team of medical professionals goes to work to save a life. This time, it's the hypothetical life of a realistic dummy, but the students treat it like it's the real thing.

"We need compressions," yelled one student.

"Is that a shockable rhythm?" a teacher asked.

It's an up-close and realistic look at a future career in nursing. State College of Florida will be expanding its nursing program to offer night and weekend classes in the fall of 2022.

Nursing shortages at critical level in Florida

About a quarter of Florida nurses are leaving the workforce, either due to burnout, retirement, or other jobs, and healthcare leaders said they’re reaching a breaking point.

MORE: Nursing shortage in Florida expected to get worse, experts say

The program will help meet the needs of future students, some who may be working to support themselves and their families, but looking for a career change.

"An evening weekend program gives the ability to come here in the evenings. Learn everything you need to know about becoming a nurse and then on the weekends we will practice in our community hospitals," said Dr. Tammy Sawnelle.

A $450,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation will start the program.

"The support gives us the ability to start the infrastructure and the resources that we need," said Dr. Sawnelle.

Florida hospitals could be short about 59,000 nurses by 2035

In a report commissioned by the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, experts project the state will face a shortfall of 59,100 nurses by 2035.

There are more than 1,300 open nursing positions in Manatee and Sarasota counties right now.
Even before covid, there was already a shortage of nurses, driven in part by retirements.
Dr.Tammy Sawnell, the Assistant Dean of Nursing saw the need in the community.

"We need to inspire the generation coming to us as students," she said.

Thirty students will come through the night and weekend program every semester. State College of Florida plans to expand those numbers as the program continues.

"When they are in here they get that individualized attention from the faculty and instruction in how to really care for the different populations of patients that we care for," said Debbie Allish, the director of simulation at State College of Florida.

Having options for their education can only help.

"I think that we have the ability to show that we are the place to come to when you want a quality education," said Allish.