BUFFALO, N.Y. — 2 On Your Side has talked a lot about staffing shortages, and now SUNY Erie and ECMC are starting a program to help alleviate the shortage of nurses in Western New York.
This program offers financial aid and guaranteed employment when you graduate, so it is beneficial for the students and ECMC.
Up to 50 students a year will receive scholarships of up to $1,500 a year to cover things that federal, state and other grants do not. They will be Erie County Medical Center Scholars and guaranteed clinical seats throughout their training, given free board exam prep courses, application fee reimbursement, and employment offers when they are done with school.
ECMC says the staffing shortage is happening because a lot of people have retired and it's been difficult recruiting, so they're hoping this helps.
"This RN program that we've decided to collaborate with SUNY Erie is really going to help us with people that have decided they want to go into the healthcare field, we're going to be able to help them get to a position in collaboration with SUNY Erie so that they can work at ECMC while they're going to school which will help give them some income, but also to help them get extra clinical experience," said Charlene Ludlow, Senior Vice President of Nursing.
"One of the challenges that every program has as it looks to grow is ensuring that there are enough clinical seats for all the students, and what this effectively does is it develops a tight collaboration between ECC and ECMC such that students, and our college, really doesn't have a concern about trying to find clinical seats for our students," said Dr. David Balkin, SUNY Erie President.
There are also grants available to those who qualify through the Erie County Health Careers program - including help for childcare, books, and supplies.
"We're really interested in getting as many people qualified and into the workforce as quickly as possible. So if someone for example is just a semester to go, and we can figure out how to bring them back in, enable them to get, you know, the credentials they need, it will be a win for all of us. So, without a doubt, we're interested in trying to ensure that we're providing a service to anybody and everybody who can take advantage of this great opportunity," Balkin said.
They are also hoping this program attracts people who have through about nursing and just haven't made the move yet.
"So much has changed with the pandemic and people have really looked at what they want to do. People are really trying to go out and find the special thing they can do for other people. So with that, I think this nursing collaboration with SUNY is gonna be very important for them to try to find what's going to serve them best in their lives as well as to serve the patients in the community around Western New York," Ludlow said.
Here is information about how to apply for the SUNY Erie nursing program.