Expanding Access to Nursing Education
New funding helps working nurses advance their careers while strengthening the region’s nursing workforce
A new investment in nursing education is creating career advancement for nurses across University of Vermont Health.
Funding from the Charles R. Wood Foundation is enabling three nurses at UVM Health - Alice Hyde Medical Center and UVM Health - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital the opportunity to pursue a fully funded Master of Science in Nursing education through SUNY Empire. The program expands access to advanced education while addressing a critical workforce need: preparing experienced nurses to become clinical instructors for the next generation of caregivers.
Expanding access to advanced education
For many nurses, returning to school can mean balancing coursework with full-time work, family responsibilities and financial pressures. By covering tuition costs, the program removes one of the most significant obstacles to earning an advanced degree.
“The fear of going into debt or taking on more than you can manage shouldn’t hold you back from what you want to do,” says Abby Bennett, director of nursing education and professional development at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital.
Expanding access to graduate education is especially important as many working professionals face growing financial pressure. The program also allows UVM Health to invest in nurses who already bring valuable clinical experience and want to continue developing their careers.
The partnership with SUNY Empire was designed with working adults in mind. Participants can remain working while completing the program, and hospital leaders say the university provides strong academic and student support.
“They’re going to get a really good education, and their support systems are really strong,” Bennett says. “This program is built for working adult students, which is really important.”
The opportunity also has the potential to strengthen the quality of nursing education throughout the region.
We know that one of the main factors in where people choose to start their career as a nurse is where they did clinicals.
Preparing clinical instructors for nursing students
Clinical instructors play a critical role in helping nursing students apply classroom learning in real patient-care settings. Recruiting enough experienced nurses for those roles, however, can be challenging.
At Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, leaders are exploring a model that could eventually allow participating nurses to split their time between bedside care and clinical instruction. While details are still being developed, keeping instructors active in patient care could benefit both students and hospitals.
“They walk the walk; they talk the talk,” Bennett says. “They have relationships with our staff, they know the units, they know where everything is.”
That first-hand experience gives students instructors who understand both nursing practice and the specific environment in which they are learning.
“It is a win-win for the schools and for us, and ultimately for the nursing students, who will have an improved experience,” Bennett says.
The approach could also expand when and where clinical education takes place.
Most nursing clinical rotations occur during daytime or evening hours. Nights and weekends are used less frequently, despite offering students valuable learning opportunities. One nurse participating in the program works nights, creating the possibility of expanding clinical instruction into hours that have traditionally been underutilized.
“Nursing students need to understand what night shift means,” Bennett says. “Your patients are not always sleeping.”
Night shifts often involve different duties and fewer available resources, offering an important perspective on patient care. Expanding clinical opportunities could also help nursing programs make better use of limited clinical space as they prepare more students to enter the workforce.
Strengthening the nursing workforce in northern New York
Clinical experiences often influence where new nurses choose to begin their careers. Students who feel supported, build relationships with staff and have positive clinical rotations may be more likely to return after graduation.
“We know that one of the main factors in where people choose to start their career as a nurse is where they did clinicals,” Bennett says. “If they felt like this was a supportive place, then that’s where they want to be.”
That matters in northern New York, where recruiting and retaining a strong local health care workforce remains a priority.
Creating pathways for experienced UVM Health nurses to become educators strengthens that pipeline from both directions. Current employees gain opportunities to advance their careers, while nursing students learn from instructors who understand the organization, the community and the realities of providing care locally.
Interest in the opportunity has been strong. Initial funding supports three nurses, one from Alice Hyde Medical Center and two from Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. Leaders are now exploring whether the program could expand to include as many as 10 participants, creating more opportunities for nurses to earn advanced degrees while building the pool of experienced clinicians who can teach the next generation of nurses.
