For Dottie Shirley, RN, an August 2006 graduate of the Associate Degree Registered Nurse (ADRN) Program, nursing runs in the family. Dottie, who lives and works in Southeast Idaho, is one of four girls in the family – all RNs. Dottie’s mom is an RN as was her great-grandmother. “Of all of us,” Dottie reported, “I’m the most recent RN, thanks to my work at Idaho State University’s distance-delivered professional nursing program.” One of her favorite parts of this rigorous program was learning about the cultural needs of each patient.
“Each time I walk into a room, I remember the culture textbook I had to read during my advanced med-surg clinical rotation. The book was titled, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. I learned so much from it that I bought a copy for each of my sisters.”
Dottie Shirley was in the second graduating class of this new and innovative nursing education program. As of 3 August 2007, 60 professional nurses will have walked across the Idaho State University (ISU) stage and earned the privilege of wearing the treasured ADRN nursing pin.
A few years ago the ADRN Program was just a concept in the making. The development of this Program at ISU’s College of Technology was in direct response to area healthcare administrators; this outpouring of support from Southeast Idaho hospitals and nursing homes was phenomenal.
Discussions began in 2002 when Rod Jacobson, the Administrator of Bear Lake Memorial Hospital in Montpelier, and John Hoopes, CEO at Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs persistently sent letters and made phone calls to then ISU President Richard Bowen, ISU administrators, and the Idaho State Board of Nursing expressing the need for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) living and working in rural Idaho to have access to a quality ADRN education.
“Every time program discussions hit a wall, I pushed to continue,” Jacobson explained. “The program is very important to the Bear Lake Valley due to the lack of licensed nurses in this rural area. The entire Valley has only around 30 LPNs and 15 RNs. Therefore, there is a critical shortage of registered nurses. One of the reasons this program is so important is that the Bear Lake Community needs nurses who are going to stay in the area.
Due to the rural location, many young nurses leave the area after achieving their RN education,”We want nurses who have an established home here and want to live here.” According to Jacobson, “the hospital has assisted many LPNs obtain their RNs but they end up meeting their future spouses at school and in turn leave the area.” Jacobson estimates that as many as half the LPNs in the valley would like to further their education and go on to become RNs.
The Program reaches out to LPNs in rural Idaho who would not otherwise be able to pursue additional nursing education. An extra program mission is to provide graduates with opportunities to pursue additional nursing degrees. The distance learning aspect of the program is essential. Most of the current LPNs have families and work, making travel 3-5 times a week for classes difficult to impossible. Jacobson strongly believes that everyone deserves quality health care. “That can only occur,” he said, “with good nurses and enough of them.”
When asked about the ADRN program, Jon Smith, Executive Director of the Public Hospital Cooperative, explained, “The Public Hospital Cooperative (Coop) is a 501 c3 collaborative of 13 county-owned hospitals in East Idaho and West Wyoming. The ISU ADRN program has been a very positive program for all hospitals within the Public Hospital Cooperative, helping alleviate some of the nursing shortage issues we face. This program is a great opportunity for people within our facilities and communities to further their education to the RN level, which in turn helps their families and helps our hospitals – they are part of us and our communities.”
“It’s very important for us to notice that the program has a zero attrition rate for students. This amazing achievement is because of the progressive program processes that avoid redundancy by building on what students already know. Program graduates are immediately ready to become great caregivers and great leaders within our hospitals. Actually, this program is a lifesaver for many of the rural hospitals in the area. It’s a great local program helping Idaho facilities and residents,” explained Jon Smith.
Jacobson agrees that the program’s impact has been significant. “The ADRN program has done more in its first years of existence than any other project we have instituted to solve our RN shortage. I'm told that as of this year, we will not need to use an Agency nurse for the first time in several years. The ADRN program is a perfect fit for students living many miles from a college campus and the caliber of nurses we get from the program are second to none!”
Janette Mecham, RN (Class of August, 2006, Bear Lake County) was surprised by the difference in practice roles from LPN to RN. “I learned so much about prevention as well as the care of patients with chronic illnesses. I learned how to work as a team player and that mental health issues permeate every aspect of hospital care – my role change to RN was huge!”
“Until this program came along, becoming an RN was impossible even though I wanted this since I was a high school sophomore. I needed to continue to work and this program allowed me to do that. In August of 2006 I graduated and everyone was there. My parents, children, and in-laws attended; also, the CEO of our hospital came and brought each of my clinical nurse preceptors.”
“Montpelier is a small community. I love caring for patients and families I know, and they know me; these are people I want to serve. Now, because of my education, I find that my role as RN is to help my patients and their families learn as much about their healthcare as possible. Teaching has become a part of everything I do” Mecham proclaimed.
Janette Mecham and Dottie Shirley were classmates and are now working as colleagues in rural critical access hospitals. This year, they are sharing their knowledge with four new ADRN Program students. Truly, a new era in nursing education has arrived.
Nationally, RNs are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations in the decade spanning 2004 – 2014; during this decade, the health care system will require more than 1.2 million new nurses. See: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
For more information about the Idaho State University ADRN faculty position opportunities and student enrollment, please refer to the following links:
Dr. Linda S. Smith Professor and Director, Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho
208-282-1044
Nurses – Do you have teaching experience? Have you been thinking about teaching part or full time? Have you been thinking about making a real difference for our nation’s health and healthcare? Do you have (or are you soon to have) an earned master’s degree with a major in nursing? If you have been thinking about being a nurse educator and would enjoy the challenge of teaching in a one-of-a-kind innovative ADRN program, come to Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho! In addition to a picturesque, friendly, fitness-loving environment with low cost of living, low crime rates, and faculty benefits that include drastically reduced tuition for you and your spouse, your education and commitment to the profession will be valued, respected, and needed. For more information, please click on the following links:
