LSU Health New Orleans, the LSU Foundation, and LCMC Health announced a partnership to launch the LSU-LCMC Health Scholars Program for nursing students. The nursing program, which provides tuition and fees assistance, is available for eligible LSU nursing students who intend to pursue employment at LCMC Health. The inaugural application period is open for eligible LSU students from Nov. 28 through Dec. 9. After the first cycle, the application process will open again twice a year for the next five years.
“The LSU-LCMC Health Scholars Program is one of the most important and impactful initiatives we have to address the nursing shortage, hand in hand with LSU,” said Greg Feirn, CEO, LCMC Health. “By developing a nursing pipeline, providing financial support to nursing students, and supporting the expansion of the LSU School of Nursing, the entire community wins. Our investment in this effort will benefit nurses and patients for years to come.”
Earlier this year, LCMC Health partnered with LSU and LSU Health New Orleans for a transformative $75 million investment to elevate and advance cancer care and to create educational programs for nursing students, including a definitive commitment of $10 million to support and supplement healthcare training and education. As part of this investment, LCMC Health is dedicating $8.6 million for the School of Nursing at LSU Health New Orleans and $1.4 million for the pre-nursing program on LSU’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge.
As communities begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing shortages have become even more prevalent in Louisiana and nationwide. According to the Louisiana Health Works Commission and Nursing Supply and Demand Council Report, Louisiana could face an expected shortage of 6,000 registered nurses by 2030 – a shortage of more than 40 percent.
The LSU-LCMC Health Scholars Program will help support nursing needs with plans to:
-Enroll more LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing students in the Baccalaureate programs while also enrolling students into the pre-nursing program at LSU in Baton Rouge
-Graduate more nurses from traditional and Career Alternative RN Education (CARE) programs
-Alleviate the financial burdens of nursing students
-Onboard scholars as LCMC Health employed nurses into high-need critical vacancy areas
“The support provided by the LSU-LCMC Health Nursing Scholars Program will enable more students to enroll in one of the nation’s top nursing schools,” said LSU Health New Orleans Interim Chancellor Dr. Steve Nelson. “LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing is ranked the number 10 nursing school in the U.S. and the number five public nursing school in the country. Addressing the nursing shortage with our graduates will bring nursing care of the highest quality to LCMC Health hospitals.”