WSM Receives Grant to Help Address Critical Nursing Shortage

WSM recently received a $150,000 EARN (Employment Advancement Right Now) grant from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and will match the funds with an additional $150,000 to enhance the nursing pipeline in Montgomery County. Montgomery County is home to six major healthcare systems, and this grant will help to address the critical nursing shortage in our County.

In a new collaborative credentialing model, Montgomery College and the University of Maryland School of Nursing (Universities at Shady Grove campus) have created a dual enrollment program that offers nursing students at Montgomery College simultaneous admission to both Montgomery College’s associate degree in nursing and the University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, enabling students to obtain a degree in three as opposed to four years.

As the lead organization, WSM will work closely with industry, education, and community partners, convening industry-led focus groups to discuss the following:

• Recruitment strategies that will best address the diverse needs of the County,
• Training partnerships, in a collaborative partnership between Montgomery College and University of Maryland (Universities at Shady Grove),
• Committed clinical placements at local hospitals, and
• Career placement strategies.

For more information, contact Ellie Giles at egiles@worksourcemontgomery.com, or call 240-403-4102.