Federal funds to help GCC nursing program

Germanna Community College President David A. Sam plans to use highly anticipated federal funding to expand the school’s nursing program.

According to Sam, Germanna will receive $100,000 thanks to an earmark attached to the $447 billion Omnibus Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2010.

The bill appropriates money for the departments of Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans’ Affairs and a list of other agencies.

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Montross made the request for colleges in Virginia earlier this year and President Obama signed the bill in mid-December. Wittman represents Virginia’s 1st district.

“We deeply appreciate this ongoing investment in Germanna and our ability to meet the growing demand for more highly qualified nurses,” said Sam, who expects to receive the funding in early 2010.

Mary Gilkey, Germanna’s dean of nursing and health, said the federal funds “will further assist to serve this region as we continue our commitment to provide qualified and competent nurses into the regions workforce.”

“Germanna’s nursing program will responsibly use these funds to better align our nursing programs to address the ever growing needs of the community,” Gilkey said. “Our community of health care providers who offer the latest in technological advances an well health care specialists will need a health care workforce from a myriad of preparation levels.”

The money will be used to develop the online registered nurse program that helps prepare students to continue to a four-year college in the efforts to complete bachelor’s degrees as registered nurses.

Germanna will also be re-designing its Eastern View High School nursing program to be more career track-oriented to include exit points at each certified nurse aide, licensed practical nurse and registered nurse levels.

Randi Richards-Lutz, career and technical administrator for Culpeper County Public Schools, said it’s a unique opportunity for students at both high schools: Eastern View and Culpeper High.

“As soon as you exit high school, it just puts you one step ahead of others at that age,” Richards-Lutz said. “It is a very hard program and if a student chooses to do this, they’ve got to realize that they are in college (while) in high school.”

Richards-Lutz said the nursing program is a step above dual enrollment “because it is a nursing program.”

“And I think because of the young age, they’ve really got to be mature and realize that I’m taking care of other people,” she added.

Eligible high school students may begin the nursing program during junior year, according to Richards-Lutz.

Overall, the bill included nearly $2 million for Virginia Community College System initiatives.