If you’re a Riverside-Brookfield High School student interested in becoming a nurse, the British Home will pay your way through nursing school in return for a commitment to work at the Brookfield-based retirement community. The British Home, a non-profit retirement community in Brookfield, and RB have announced a new program aimed at mentoring and encouraging high school students who are interested in becoming nurses.
Beginning in January, a few students will be selected to work part time at the British Home. If they continue in the program and attend a two-year RN nursing program, typically offered at area community colleges such as Triton College, the British Home will pay full nursing school tuition, books and fees. While in nursing school the student will work part time at the British Home and do a clinical internship there and be mentored by British Home nurses.
The British Home is developing the program to cope with a shortage of nurses that it, along with many other health care institutions, has been experiencing.
“We’re facing a crisis in nursing,” said Pam Patterson, the director of staff development for the British Home. “It’s not just the British Home, it’s nationwide.”
Patterson said that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that more than 1.2 million new and replacement nurses will needed in 2014. Geriatric care is the fastest growing field in nursing, according to Patterson, as the Baby Boom generation ages.
Nurses are in constant demand Patterson said. Nurses are also paid well.
“I can’t think of many jobs where you come out of an associate’s degree program immediately with a salary of $40,000,” said Patterson, who noted the British Home starting salary for new nurses is $40,000.
Nursing students can obtain their RN certification in two years, Patterson said.
“A baccalaureate degree isn’t necessary for an entry level nurse,” said Patterson.
The British Home has yet to determine the exact length of the work commitment it will ask of participants in the program, but is considering setting it at one-year, according to Patterson.
The British Home developed the program because of their continual need to hire nurses.
“We’ve looked for years to grow our own nurses,” said Patterson. “We currently have openings, and we are always seeking applicants.”
New nurses are often attracted to the perceived more glamorous and exciting work environment of hospitals rather than choosing to begin their career at retirement centers. But Patterson said she hopes that the program will show students that challenging and rewarding nursing work is done at the British Home.
The British Home provides different levels of care and services including skilled nursing care, an intermediate level of care, assisted living and independent living and rehabilitative care. The British Home has a 75-person nursing staff Patterson said.
Students entering the program must be at least 16 years old, and they must begin the program no later than the first semester of their senior year.
Patterson said the British Home hopes to begin accepting applications in January, and will begin with a group of three students next spring.
RB Principal/Superintendent Jack Baldermann said he expects there will be interest in the program among RB students.
“I think they will definitely be interested,” said Baldermann. “It’s a great opportunity.”
