Miami Courant

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced that Barry University will be one of the institutions receiving LINE funding from the state to train nursing students. The $949,000 award will help Barry’s School of Nursing educate additional front line nurses, recruit nursing faculty, and equip classrooms and simulation labs with more learning technology.

WHY IT MATTERS

More than a third of nurses have said they are likely to leave the field by the end of 2022 and 70% of hospitals in Florida can expect to experience a critical staffing shortage, according to the Florida Hospital Association. Barry responded to the critical shortage of nurses by launching the School of Nursing, formed from the foundation of the former College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Nursing Program, which was originally created in 1953. “The LINE funding will further enhance Barry’s abilities to overcome the many barriers to training a more diverse nursing workforce in service of Floridians” said School of Nursing Dean, Tony Umadhay. Barry’s award is part of the $79 million invested by the state to boost high-performing nursing education programs in Florida by funding public postsecondary nursing programs that have gone above and beyond to train Floridians. It provides matching funds for scholarship awards, faculty recruitment, equipment and additional educational support. “I am grateful for the support from our Legislature and Governor as we continue our efforts toward advancing Barry University’s commitment to workforce education,” said John McFadden, Ph.D. CRNA, Barry’s Vice Provost of Health and Wellness. “This award affirms the value of collaboration between our universities, our practice partners, and our state to help fill a critical shortage or nurses.,”

HANDS-ON LEARNING

Barry nursing students are getting practical training and opportunities to work with patients. Baptist Health South Florida and Memorial Healthcare System are providing Barry students with tuition support and on-site, hands-on learning experiences at their hospitals. Barry is working with other regional health care providers to develop a similar scholarship training pathway.

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