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Published Sunday, December 06, 2009 in Local

Special

Nursing is rapidly becoming a “career of the future” as Baby Boomers age and require more health-related services, and the number of students enrolled in the nursing program at the University of West Georgia’s Newnan Center reflects that. From left are Monica Piasta, RN (lab instructor), with nursing students Sabine Patterson, Brandy McGuire and Alex Washington. (Photo courtesy UWG)

Local demand for nurses causes Newnan Center enrollment growth

By Jeff Bishop

The Newnan Times-Herald

Nursing has come a long way since your mother went to nursing school.

The Georgia Department of Labor is promoting nursing as one of the top jobs over the next 10 years. Pay continues to go up as the demand for qualified nurses continues to increase.

Local demand was one of the key factors that brought the University of West Georgia's nursing program to the Newnan Center, located in Shenandoah Industrial Park. In the three years the program has been offered, it now rivals the nursing program at the main Carrollton campus, with nearly as many students enrolled and graduating.

There are now 370 juniors and seniors enrolled in the nursing program at both campuses, and 147 of those are enrolled at the Newnan Center.

"I think that as the economy goes through a difficult time, and as students are looking at career choices that are out there, they want to ensure that they have work in the years to come," said Dr. Kathryn Grams, dean of the West Georgia School of Nursing.

The potential of having two new hospitals in Newnan ups the ante that much more.

"We're seeing a lot more traffic come through the front door," said Cathy Wright, director of the Newnan Center. "We're seeing a lot more people want to go into the nursing program just over the past year."

"And we're projecting even more growth," said Grams.

Dr. Cynthia Epps, associate dean, said the nurses graduating today are very different from the nurses that graduated from school several decades ago.

"The status of nurses has definitely changed," said Epps. "Nurses today are autonomous professionals. And I think they earn a lot more respect."

Both Epps and Grams agree that the LPN is rapidly being phased out in favor of more advanced certifications.

"LPNs, in many cases, are not hirable," said Grams.

"Employers are demanding a well-educated nursing work force," said Epps.

Many times, employers won't take an application seriously if the applicant doesn't have at least a baccalaureate degree, they said.

"Nurses today can work in a variety of settings -- not just at a hospital," said Grams. Today's nurse may choose to work at a school, an industry, a public health department -- the list goes on.

"We're going to see more and more nurses in a community setting," said Grams. "And these nurses will be providing primary care."

It's tougher to get into nursing school than it used to be, they said. Last year, UWG only admitted 40 percent of the applicants.

"That's because we have limited faculty," said Grams, which signals that nursing education is going to be another explosive job growth area in the years to come.

"We have to have one faculty member for every 10 students," said Grams, and that's an expensive proposition.

For those who do make it in and make it through the program, it can be a rewarding experience -- and not just financially.

"It's been a fun experience, and at times it's definitely been challenging and difficult," said nursing school graduating senior James Thompson.

"I think we all learned a lot from each of our experiences," he said. "A lot of us have families. I have a couple of kids and I'm married, so this is a second career for me. I'm a lot more focused on what I need to do at this stage in my life."

Many of the students at the Newnan Center are non-traditional. They come from places like Kenya and Bosnia, and they have spouses and families and full-time jobs. In fact, the Newnan Center was designed to accommodate that, said Grams.

"It's rare to find a program in nursing that's not full-time," said Grams. "But we are serving that broader population."

"This program allows students to have a family, to have a job, and to come here two days a week," said Wright. "I believe this is the only part-time nursing program in the state of Georgia. But we believe in giving our students those options."

"This has been my dream," said graduating nursing student Aubry Bowers. "I have dreamt of being a caregiver and helping people ever since I was 5 years old."

The West Georgia program at the Newnan Center has been "so wonderful," she said.

"There are so many wonderful people here, and I've made so many friends."

Having said that, she added, "I am not going to miss school."

Instead, she's looking forward to beginning her new career.

"I plan on working in the ER," she said. "It's my dream."

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