WILMINGTON, N.C. – Novant Health has announced a $10 million commitment to boost the numbers of trained health care workers in southeastern North Carolina.
The strategic investment is designed to jump-start the addition of licensed clinical team members to strengthen the workforce. Such increases will help safeguard health care in the growing region amid national concerns regarding worker shortages.
“This commitment is about doing the right thing for the Wilmington region to support job growth and create a healthier future for our community,” said Amy Akers, chief nursing officer for Novant Health's Coastal region. "This funding will mean more nurses and skilled clinicians providing care here for years to come.”
Over the next five years, $5 million in scholarships will be awarded to students enrolled in health care programs at Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
“The scholarships will empower residents to both advance their careers and apply those skills to care for their neighbors,” said Laurie Whalin, chief operating officer of Novant Health’s Coastal region. "These opportunities will help provide financial stability to existing and future team members while ensuring southeastern North Carolina continues to attract and retain local talent.”
Novant Health’s investment also will support growing the availability of experienced nurse preceptors, who act as teachers to nursing students while they are on clinical rotations in a health care setting. Finally, expansions in simulation technology will ensure our clinicians in training have access to hands-on learning opportunities.
Novant Health’s funding for scholarships and increased training resources are the types of solutions that help address health care staffing needs. Across the country, clinical workers, including registered nurses, are in high demand. Though estimates vary, one report estimated North Carolina could be short more than 12,000 registered nurses in 10 years.
This commitment adds momentum to related collaborative efforts involving UNCW, CFCC, New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, who are recipients of funds from the New Hanover Community Endowment. The endowment was created by New Hanover County using funding from Novant Health's purchase of New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
Novant Health’s latest investment builds upon several existing workforce pipeline efforts in the Wilmington region.
- Residency programs: Current offerings include the following specialties:
- Family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and pharmacy.
- A yearlong nurse residency program helps recruit and retain new registered nurses.
- This summer Novant Health and its partners will launch a new psychiatry residency and a new rural track of our family medicine residency program.
- Scholarships: The Upward Mobility RN Educational Assistance Program, supported by the Novant Health regional foundations, empowers team members to seek career advancement.
- Medical students: Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center serves as a branch campus of the UNC School of Medicine.
Subscribe