There are many ways to measure the health of a community — its access to food and housing, the quality of its schools, public safety, environmental stewardship, cultural offerings. But perhaps the greatest need of any community is the physical and mental health of its citizens. That's where nursing steps in, and where Berkshire Community College (BCC) fills a need every day.
BCC has been providing an excellent nursing education for more than 50 years, and many of its faculty members are BCC alums.
"We have a student-centered group of nurse educators that truly care about student success," says Lori Moon, BCC Dean of Nursing. "We train our own to stay and work in Berkshire County, and we have excellent relationships with all of the local health care facilities."
The comparatively low tuition at BCC is affordable for most students, and more than 80% of the student body receives financial aid. The average award is $5,000. There are also more than 200 scholarships, totaling $400,000, available to BCC students.
And, thanks to a partnership with Berkshire Health Systems (BHS), some nursing students may be eligible for zero-cost enrollment.
The Talent Pipeline
BHS has recently launched a series of training programs called Career Pathways, known at BCC as the Talent Pipeline, and is partnering with local community organizations and educational institutions to help recruit and train a skilled healthcare workforce. BCC is a core partner in the BHS nursing training programs, which cover full tuition and fees for BCC-enrolled students who are part of the Talent Pipeline. In addition, the student is paid the equivalent of a 40-hour position while working only 8 or 16 hours per week as a nursing assistant at the hospital. Health insurance, including dental and vision coverage, is provided. In exchange, the student commits to working for BHS for a minimum three-year period following graduation.
Betty Kirby, BHS Director of Education, says the nursing pathway programs grew out of necessity.
"With the healthcare industry nationwide facing staffing challenges created by high turnover rates, an increasing number of retirements and the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that we needed to grow our own workforce. BHS has been investing in identifying and supporting Berkshires residents who will be able to deliver vital healthcare services throughout the region."
Kirby explains that the pathway process involves interviewing candidates who must be accepted into school before applying. After acceptance, students are hired as nursing assistants or are trained as nursing assistants before starting work.
Nursing Options at BCC
BCC offers three options for nursing education: a practical nurse certificate, an associate degree in nursing and an LPN to ADN Educational Mobility Bridge. As part of BCC's commitment to equitable access and opportunity for all students, entrance exams for nursing programs are not required.
The Practical Nurse (PN) Certificate Program is a 10-month program that leads to licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) once the student completes the certificate and passes the state nursing board exam. The program, which admits approximately 30 students each year, has rolling admissions every fall, allowing anyone meeting the basic admission criteria to be accepted (space permitting). Requirements are minimal; prerequisites include a college-level math class (or a score of 250 or higher on an Accuplacer exam), Biology 150, English 101 and Psychology 107. It is also an excellent program for high school students, who can complete their prerequisites while still in high school and apply for fall admission. The deadline for applying to the fall 2023 program is July 15.
"It is important to note that we offer financial aid and college credits for all courses, whereas other practical nurse programs in the county sometimes can't offer college transfer credits, often resulting in an expensive education with ridiculous debt," Moon says. "We've seen students who have attended these other schools have to retake classes that won't transfer."
The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program is a two-year program that admits approximately 50 students every fall and spring. An ADN is required to become a Registered Nurse (RN). The program is competitive, selectively accepting students. Requirements include two semesters of English and two semesters of psychology, plus sociology, communications, a humanities course, anatomy, and physiology I and II, and microbiology. The application deadline is June 1, 2023.
Many students complete their general education courses in two to three semesters before entering into the nursing program, after which nursing courses may be completed in as little as two years. After earning an ADN, students can then move on to a four-year college to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. BCC has relationships with several universities and provides advising for students who wish to complete their BSN.
"Incentives of the ADN Program include the low cost of community college and the ability to enter the workforce one year earlier," Moon says. "And, you still have the ability to earn a bachelor of science degree."
The LPN to ADN Educational Mobility Bridge Program is a one-year program for LPNs who have recently completed their certificate or who have been in practice as an LPN for a number of years. Approximately 15-20 students are accepted into the program every fall and spring. These students must complete the same requirements as the ADN program, but they can challenge the first two semesters of ADN nursing courses by passing an exam and entering in the third semester, thereby graduating in one year. The application deadline is June 1, 2023.
Moon notes, "This is a great way for students to work and earn a decent wage while completing pre-reqs for the ADN program."
BCC and the Workforce
Brenda Cadorette, Chief Nursing Officer at Berkshire Medical Center (BMC), says that BMC regularly employs BCC students and alums with good success.
"When we look at BCC, we see a great example of how a community college prepares students for the real world. Their focus is on clinical, technical and assessment skills, as well as hands-on care at the bedside in acute care," says Cadorette, who also praises BCC faculty.
Many BCC clinical instructors are nurses who are familiar with the BHS environment and its policies and procedures. Cadorette says, "It's a smooth transition. These nurses are ready and prepared to take care of patients at our BHS facilities." Kirby agrees. "The BCC faculty is so familiar with our organization, and they are very skilled, knowledgeable professionals. That's what they bring forth in their students — that knowledge base and that ability."
A typical job for new BCC graduates is medical-surgical nursing, also known as "med-surg." Cadorette explains, "We want recent grads to hone their assessment skills and take the first year to become more proficient in their nursing clinical skills on a med-surg unit before transitioning to specialty areas." While the majority of nurses stay in med-surg, some move on to specialties such as emergency department care, critical care, family birthplace and case management. Still others earn advanced degrees to enter the nursing education field.
"We are essentially creating a ladder for nursing careers," Cadorette says. "We start with a nursing assistant training program, and then we encourage them to move on to LPN or ADN. It's a great way to continue learning and growing in the healthcare field."
Mikki Lennon, who completed the ADN Program at BCC, works as an RN at Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) and says BCC helped prepare her for her job in several ways.
"Many of the faculty for the ADN program had previously worked at BMC, so they knew hospital-specific policies, which helped with the job transition," Lennon says. "BCC also offered most clinicals at BMC, which helped students gain a better understanding of the hospital prior to being employed there."
Lennon found the nursing program at BCC to not only be affordable, but also particularly attentive to the individual needs of students. "The professors genuinely wanted us to do well and helped us both in the classroom and in the clinical setting," she says. "I also had great experiences with staff outside of the nursing department who helped me with scholarship applications and financial inquiries — especially Jennifer Larkin [Special Programs Coordinator – Student Financial Services], who was always amazing to work with."
The future of nursing in the Berkshires is a positive one, Kirby says. "We are always going to need nurses. We have an aging population here in Berkshire County, so we have a lot of care needs," she says. "The demand is there; the jobs are there — we have a commitment to provide our community with what they need."
"The opportunity in nursing is endless. You can always learn more and grow," Cadorette says. "It's a great career."
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