The Golden Hour: Indian River State College’s Critical Response to Florida's Nursing Crisis

September 12, 2024 Indian River State College

The Golden Hour: Indian River State College’s Critical Response to Florida's Nursing Crisis
By Dr. Timothy E. Moore, Indian River State College President & Patricia Gagliano, PhD, RN- Dean, School of Nursing, Indian River State College

As Florida grapples with a severe nursing shortage, Indian River State College stands out in its proactive approach to developing the qualified nursing graduates needed to support our growing and aging population.

A 2021 report from the Florida Hospital Association and the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida projected that the Sunshine State would face a shortage of 59,000 nurses by 2035.

Indian River State College is providing the leadership needed to sustain nursing education in Florida. We expanded our nursing programs and enhanced student outcomes, creating a steady stream of well-prepared nurses for our community’s healthcare facilities.

Following the successful reaffirmation of accreditation of our nursing school in 2022, we expanded efforts to ensure programmatic initiatives were aligned with completion and successful licensure of our students. We focused on enhanced support resources for students, instructional practices in both didactic and clinical, and assessment methods. The goal was to enhance students’ educational experiences, while increasing NCLEX-RN pass rates, the percentage of nursing graduates who successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses on their first try. These pass rates help ensure more graduates can enter the workforce quickly and competently.

Our investment in state-of-the-art facilities has augmented teaching/instructional strategies to better serve our nursing students. Last August, thanks to $12.5 million in private and state funding, we relocated and expanded our School of Nursing at the Pruitt Campus in Port St. Lucie. The 50,000 square foot facility features state-of-the-art technology and simulated environments that mirror real hospital settings. There, students gain hands-on experience in simulated emergency, intensive care, labor and delivery, pediatric, and medical-surgical units.

The outcome of Indian River State’s efforts is significant. Our NCLEX-RN pass rate of 98% and NCLEX-PN pass rate of 100% significantly surpass the national averages of 70% for NCLEX-RN and 75% for NCLEX-PN.

Just one year into our expansion, we are projecting a 40% increase of graduates starting in 2025.

The combination of an immersive simulation center, excellent faculty and instruction, a curriculum focused on ensuring practice-ready students, and unique relationships with our practice partners all provide our students a professional advantage, creating a highly qualified and diverse nursing workforce that supports our community.

In doing so, Indian River State is leading the way and offering an essential lifeline for Florida’s healthcare future.