Representatives from Garrett Regional Medical Center and Allegany College of Maryland’s nursing program held a ceremonial acknowledgment of the partnership and signing ceremony on December 18 at 2 p.m. in the GRMC boardroom in Oakland. Seated from left to right are Madison Garlitz and Robert Pattison, students at Allegany College of Maryland. Standing are Kimberly Gordon, Director of Nursing at GRMC; Kendra Thayer, Vice President of Clinical Nursing Services and Chief Nursing Officer at GRMC and Potomac Valley Hospital; Dr. Kurt Hoffman, Senior Vice President of Instructional and Student Affairs at Allegany College of Maryland; Mark Boucot, CEO and President of GRMC and Potomac Valley Hospital; Brenda Boucot, Assistant Professor of Nursing at Allegany College of Maryland.
Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) School of Nursing students attending the ACM Garrett County Nursing Site in Oakland will have the opportunity to both secure financial assistance and meaningful employment in their field at Garrett Regional Medical Center following graduation as part of the WVU Medicine Aspiring Nurse Program.
The WVU Medicine Aspiring Nurse Program provides direct financial assistance to nursing students at participating campuses. In return, these students commit to three years working as a nurse at a hospital in the WVU Health System.
Allegany College of Maryland and Garrett Regional Medical Center worked in tandem to launch the program at the ACM Nursing Site. Students Madison Garlitz and Robert Pattison, both residents of Frostburg, have been accepted to the inaugural Aspiring Nurse Program cohort at Garrett Regional Medical Center, which is open to all students currently enrolled in nursing at Allegany College of Maryland.
“The Aspiring Nurse Program is a direct response to supporting our hospitals in recruiting and retaining nurses,” said Dr. Tara Hulsey, Dean and Jane Martin Endowed Professor at the WVU School of Nursing. “With the demand for nurses, especially in rural areas, we see this partnership with the Aspiring Nurse Program as an excellent opportunity to support both our health system hospitals and our students.”
“Our award-winning nursing program prides itself on educating top-tier, compassionate, and highly skilled nurses who become part of the fabric of their communities. WVU Health System’s Aspiring Nurse Program affords students the financial independence and time to focus on their studies and clinical rotations before joining one of two community hospitals for their first nursing positions,” said ACM President Cynthia Bambara.
Hospitals involved in the program interview potential candidates from selected partnered nursing schools in their communities to determine interest and eligibility. Those selected for the Aspiring Nurse Program sign a three-year work agreement at the hospital in exchange for financial support as they earn their degree.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for anyone interested in pursuing a career in nursing,” remarked Kendra Thayer, Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Officer at GRMC and Potomac Valley Hospital. “We are excited to provide students with financial assistance towards their degree and ultimately, employment at GRMC after degree completion.”
The highly competitive program expects to make a significant impact on hospitals in the WVU Health System.
“The role nurses play in the clinical setting is crucial to providing the best care possible,” said Jessica Huffman, Assistant Vice President of Clinical Services, at WVU Medicine Center for Nursing Excellence. “Working to ensure our hospitals have the nurses they need is in the best interest of the patient, the individual hospitals, and the hospital system overall. The Aspiring Nurse Program is an innovative approach to recruitment and retainment that we’re very excited about. It is already making a real difference.”
