By ARNETHA PIERCE
Rip staff writer
There is no student nursing shortage at Bakersfield College.
“There are 80 students in this semester’s program, and we are in the process of expanding our program to accommodate the number of students who are waiting and preparing to enter our program,” said Cindy Collier, BC director of nursing.
BC is experiencing an increase and an overflow of student applicants.
“Beginning in 2002, there were only 30 students in our program, then an increase of 80 for this spring semester, and in the fall semester we expect an increase to 90 students,” said Valerie Tracey, Collier’s assistant.
Kern County will benefit from the increase of students applying for the two-year program offered at BC. According to Tracey, “There is a 300-500 registered nursing shortage in Kern County alone. One-hundred percent of our students who pass the test will be filling some of the vacancies.”
Rumor and speculation are the culprits of the supposed nursing student shortage at BC, insiders say.
“The Bakersfield Californian heard that students were being turned away because of a limit that we could accommodate,” said BC president William Andrews. “They saw the story as being newsworthy not knowing the facts. There is no shortage of nursing students. We are in the process of expanding our program, an increase of 162 students in two years.”
Because of the demand of the registered nursing shortage, “BC’s nursing program will receive funding from area hospitals,” according to Andrews.
The hunt is on for funds and qualified instructors to meet the need of the expanding nursing program.
“We are expanding and looking to double the nursing program, therefore, we are searching for external funding. Because of the budget cut, the cost of nursing has doubled from $14 a unit to $28 a unit,” said Ken Meier, BC vice president of student learning.
Preparations are being made to accommodate the many students who do not meet the requirements of entering the overflowing nursing program.
“We will help the students with priority registration to meet the prerequisite of biology needed before entering the nursing program,” said Mildred Lovato, BC vice president of Student Services.
Word of mouth has attracted many students to the BC nursing program. According to Aracely Zepeda, a licensed vocational nurse, “I was encouraged by fellow employees to come to BC to enter the two-year registered nursing program. It is cheaper than other schools and a very good program.”
Trisha Millner, nursing student, said the “BC nursing program is my only option. It costs less, and it is a better program than CSUB. After the completion of my prerequisite, I will graduate in 2009.”