PROGRESS: Nursing program expanding at Mat-Su College to meet growing need

PALMER— The Nursing Program at the Mat-Su College is growing demand for quality care in the ever growing Mat-Su Valley. After the changes, the average number of nursing graduates will double from eight every two years to eight every year, according to University of Alaska (UAA) Nursing professor, Dorothy Kinley.

“That’s pretty exciting. The timing for this is just perfect,” Kinley said.

UAA School of Nursing Director, Marianne Murray is spearheading this expansion. She saw a growing need for nurses in the community.

“Marianne is a visionary,” Kinley said.

With projects like the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center’s additions opening the gates for nursing positions, Kinley said the enrollment expansion will help fill those positions with top of the class students. The program is highly competitive. Typically, only 25% of the total applicants are accepted each semester.

“I’d rather have that ‘A’ nurse take care of me than that ‘C’ nurse,” Kinley said.

Two nursing students, Alan Markus and Amber Enns are a month into their first semester. They’ve taken care of their core classes. Now, they throw on scrubs and enter a state of the art lab within Snodgrass Hall. Walking into the classroom is like walking into a hospital. The patients are mannequins but they’re not for dummies. Some of the mannequins are decked out with high end enhancements, giving them lifelike symptoms and actions. They have vital signs. They can sweat, bleed, and even talk with the help from the man behind the curtain in the ‘Wizard of Oz Room,’ speaking out ailments like “ow my arm!”

“There’s so much opportunity to grow,” Markus said.

Like Enns, Markus has a family to support. The intensive 2 year program seemed more appealing than graduating 8 years later with tons of student loan debt. He marveled at the range of options for a trained nurse. The program heavily emphasizes real life simulation and integration with the community. Dane Wallace is a Paramedic Instructor for the college. He called it “interdisciplinary education.”

“Healthcare is a team sport,” Wallace said.

The hand on curriculum takes students from simulated labs to retirement homes and hospitals. Students will shadow their real life counterparts. In a few weeks, these students will work alongside paramedics. Enns said you can come into the program thinking your will take your career one way only to discover a whole new specialty you wouldn’t have known about prior.

“Kinley is amazing!” Markus said.

Dorothy is looking forward to setting up resources for the students to get an awesome education, to be aware of their community’s needs. She hopes this promotes them staying out in the Valley rather than taking their expertise elsewhere. She shares materials with Wallace.

“It’s awesome working with Dane – he’s very positive that guy is very involved with the community,” Kinley said.

Another exciting addition to the program is certified nurse assistant (CAN) training, a highly sought after trade in the Valley. The first CNA classes should start next spring in 2019. The next cohort of nursing students will start their first semester this fall. Jeff Jessee is the Dean for UAA College of Health. Kinley said he has played a major role in the expansion with Murray. She said they’re doing some innovative things that will help the students.

“They’re really committed to meeting the needs of the community,” Kinley said.