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The United States (US) will face a nursing shortage. Contributing factors such as an aging nursing workforce, and the increase in access to healthcare will significantly impact the nursing profession. The nursing shortage in the US is a growing problem, as it is expected to reach 260,000 registered nurses by 2025. California and Florida will experience the most significant shortages, yielding 109,779 and 128,364 registered nurse jobs, respectively. The supply of nurses will be inadequate to address the corresponding demand, despite a projected national growth in career opportunities. Exploiting the prior education and experience of military medics and hospital corpsmen to fill these jobs may considerably impact the projected nursing shortage. Upon completion of military obligations, Army and Air Force medics and Navy corpsmen have the clinical foundation and skills to deliver quality patient care. Yet, the civilian world is oblivious to the exceptional military training and education medics and corpsmen obtain, resulting in under-utilization of a potential nursing workforce asset. Further, several veteran empowerment organizations suggest that veterans encounter barriers when transitioning to the civilian workforce such as state legislated licensure restriction, correlating military education and experience with civilian qualities, and gender-specific stigma that supports nursing as a female profession.
Purpose:
In order to navigate barriers, Florida International University’s (FIU) Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences facilitates the transition of veterans to become Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates through support by the Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) grant-funded program. The United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funds the VBSN program, and its main objective is to augment the clinical education and training of military medics and corpsmen through increased veteran recruitment, enrollment, and retention to ensure successful completion of the nursing curriculum and reintegration into the civilian workforce.
Methods:
The VBSN program is structured to recruit, retain, and graduate 90 students over a four year period. Program information is advertised in military publications, social media portals, and disseminated by word of mouth. Applicants are required to meet certain criteria for admission to the program. Students must be veterans of a branch of uniformed service, or a drilling reservist with a classification as a medic, corpsman, or paramedic. In addition, applicants must earn a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in lower college division courses, complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) with 70%, and earn a grade of “C” or better in nursing pre-requisites courses. The VBSN program provides its veteran students with academic advising and planning targeted to their unique needs through interpretation and translation of military education into college credit for program eligibility. Upon admission to the VBSN program, students participate in a structured and condensed nursing fundamentals curriculum called Boot Camp, designed to build upon prior clinical education and training through didactic lecture and demonstration of competencies in the Simulation, Training, and Research (STAR) Center.
Results:
The VBSN student body has a robust representation of the branches of uniformed service, representing the Army (42%), Navy (26%), Air Force (26%), Marines (3%), and the Coast Guard (3%). Military experience is diversified, as students are former emergency medicine technicians, healthcare specialists, respiratory therapists, and licensed practical nurses. The racial/ethnic mix is similar to the demographic of the South Florida region and is comprised of Hispanic (40%), African-Americans (35%), White (22%), and Asians (3%). Male represent 61% of the student body. Of the 18 graduates the program has produced since its inception in the spring of 2014, two have obtained registered nurse licensure and are employed, while 16 students await the opportunity to take the National Council Licensure Exam – RN.
Conclusion:
Veteran nursing students possess exceptional clinical skills and are well trained in care delivery. As graduates, they add value to the nursing workforce and positively impact the nursing shortage. FIU’s Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences VBSN program is producing BSN-prepared nurses who are uniquely positioned to reintegrate into the civilian workforce and mitigate barriers that plague veterans such as poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. They are best prepared to provide quality care for the US population, and contribute to improving outcomes for the growing veteran population nationwide and in the South Florida region.