NURSES ARE some of the most critical front-line workers we rely on to protect our health. But the desperate need for nurses throughout New England has become so dire that it is having a detrimental impact on the health of our citizens.
The lack of adequate staffing drives up the cost of health care, leads to worse outcomes for patients, and makes a hard job even more difficult for nurses. In New Hampshire, state officials said they will need 1,000 new nurses every year just to keep pace with retirements. The Granite State faces one of the top 10 most severe nursing shortages in the country, with one out of every five nursing positions vacant.
We need to invest in training new nurses now. While it is important to create new jobs, it is equally important to make sure we have the talented people we need to fill them.
My wife, Francine, and I decided to do our part by donating $10 million towards providing education for nurses in the Granite State. The Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Saint Anselm College will provide students with the opportunity to practice medical procedures on artificial intelligence patients the same way they would treat real patients in hospitals like Catholic Medical Center, Elliot Hospital or Dartmouth Hitchcock.
At the heart of the new school is a $35 million facility under construction right here in Manchester. While the college has been graduating qualified nurses for more than 70 years, this new school and building will enhance the educational experience for our health care and nursing students.
The undergraduate and graduate programs will educate more than 800 new health care professionals a year. It will allow students studying nursing, psychology, physical therapy, pharmacy and other health science professions the opportunity to learn as a team just as they would at a full-service hospital. Most of these students can look forward to earning significant salaries thus helping local economies.
To be sure, this project is one small step towards solving the health care personnel shortage. However it is our hope that through this investment, Saint Anselm College will be positioned to contribute significant numbers of well-educated health care professionals for many decades to come.
Reversing the health care personnel shortage will take the commitment of many individuals contributing in a variety of ways. We have chosen to invest in the future of nursing and health sciences students at Saint Anselm College and we encourage all to choose their way of supporting the future of health care in New England.
Roger L. Jean is a 1970 graduate and 2006 Honorary Degree recipient of Saint Anselm College and member of the college’s board of trustees. Roger Jean was born and raised in Manchester and now lives in Bedford.
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