Lake Michigan College expands nursing program to help combat nursing shortage

 

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Lake Michigan College has announced plans to expand their nursing education program after receiving a $56 million grant from the state and as the demand for medical professionals and nurses has grown during the pandemic.

LMC will now offer a bachelor's degree in nursing in addition to their associate's degree program.

Michiana is feeling the effects of the national nursing shortage, as the healthcare workforce has shrunk by 6 percent in Southwest Michigan according to Kinexus Vice President Al Pscholka.

"The healthcare numbers have been flat," he said.  "There's still the belief that's out there and studies that are out there that registered nurses could be leaving the profession by a third by the end of the year."

The expanded program will allow individuals in Michiana who want to study nursing to do so at a local level and eventually become employed in the area.

"It will allow them to stay local, work local, and learn in that BSN level local," said Lake Michigan College Dean of Health Sciences Marla Clark.  "They will have that success so they are meeting the industry need of being a BSN."

There has been no announcement on which four-year school LMC will be partnering with to offer this program, and the college said it may be weeks before those details are solidified.