Featured image (from left): UACCB Director of Health Professions Dr. Becky Warren, UACCB Chancellor Dr. Brian Shonk, and UACCB Vice Chancellor for Academics Dr. Holly Smith. Image: UACCB
The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) has received a $368,614 grant to help support the development of the nursing profession in Arkansas. The grant, announced by state officials at a press conference in Little Rock on Monday, is part of over $20 million in funding through the Arkansas Office of Skills Development’s Arkansas Linking Industry to Grow Nurses (ALIGN) program.
The ALIGN Program, which officials say is designed “…to upskill nursing professionals, expand nursing apprenticeship programs, and increase nurse educator recruitment and retention,” is awarding $20.4 million to 19 Arkansas two- and four-year colleges and universities to help combat nursing shortages.
In a media release from UACCB, the college said the ALIGN funding will allow UACCB to double the entry and exit points for its registered nursing (RN) program from one to two annually, proactively responding to regional healthcare partners’ needs for a more consistent supply of new nurses.
Additionally, UACCB said it will be able to increase the enrollment capacity for the licensed practical nursing (LPN) program by identifying and supporting current healthcare providers interested in advancing their education.
With the grant, UACCB said its nursing program will be able to upgrade its simulation and med-surg labs, including modernizing the eight existing hospital rooms and adding two to four new rooms. Among these planned new spaces will be a birthing room, each fully equipped with the necessary resources to offer a comprehensive learning experience. The expansion allows “…for more intensive hands-on practice and individualized learning experiences, more closely mirroring the clinical settings of healthcare partners,” UACCB said.
(To read more from UACCB about the ALIGN funding, click here.)
“As Governor, one of my biggest priorities is preparing young Arkansans for the careers of the future. Healthcare and nursing is one of our primary areas of focus,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at Monday’s press conference. “The 19 2- and 4-year colleges and universities receiving grants today train some of the best nurses in America. Each of them will help us build Arkansas’ next generation of healthcare professionals.”
“Nurses play a critical role in delivering quality healthcare in our state. It is essential that we have qualified nursing professionals to meet Arkansans’ healthcare needs today and in the future,” said Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “Increasing educational opportunities and apprenticeships is vital for developing the nursing pipeline in Arkansas, and the ALIGN Program will provide funding to support the growth of our state’s nursing field.”
Funding for the ALIGN grants is through the America Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Above (from left): Arkansas Workforce Connections Director Cody Waits, Arkansas Department of Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, UACCB Chancellor Dr. Brian Shonk, UACCB Vice Chancellor for Academics Dr. Holly Smith, and UACCB Director of Health Professions Dr. Becky Warren. Image provided by the Arkansas Department of Commerce
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