Îlîv ‘P ortlanh (©bseruer
May 30. 2007
PageA7
Concordia Tackles Nursing Shortage Crisis
Work cut out for
graduating nurses
by R aymond R endi . eman
T he P ortland O bserver
Concordia U niversity’s first nurs­
ing graduates knew that their profes­
sion would be a struggle when they
signed up for a program that was
created in response to an em erging
public-health failure.
“ In some ways nursing can be a
pretty thankless job," says Concordia
nursing graduate Ellen Council, “but
the people who go through nursing
school have the passion.”
G raduating enough com m itted stu­
dents is a growing problem , especial ly
among at-risk and minority popula­
tions, but O regon's top nursing advo­
cate cites C oncordia as a prim e ex ­
ample o f a program working to make
a difference.
J o in in g an O re g o n n u rs in g
workforce with an average age over
50, the average 20-som ething-year-
old Concordia graduate will have to
contend with a generation gap in addi­
tion to a w idening gap between a
growing population and the health care
that serves it.
This crisis will worsen as more
nurses retire, and the increasing costs
and declining quality o f nursing ser­
vices are a direct result o f education
PHOTO BY R U MONO R E N D I.E M A N /TH F PORTLAND O l i s i K\ I K
One o f Concordia University’s 24 nursing graduates, Ellen Council,
practices on a specialized manikin used for teaching in the medi­
cal professions that's worth about $7,000.
gaps, affirms Kristine Cam pbell, ex ­
ecutive director o f the Oregon C enter
for Nursing, which the state’s nursing
leaders established in 2001 tocounter-
act the shortage o f both nurses and
teachers o f nursing.
“ In this state, w e’ve made quite a
concerted effort to increase gradua­
tion rates,” she says, "but I’m worried
it all might not be enough to head off
disaster."
C iting the six applicants for every
slot in the state’s nursing schools, she
says, “The nursing-faculty shortage is
huge for us in Oregon, and w e’re
expecting a need for65 more full-tim e
teachers in the next three years.”
Another study by Oregon Nursing
Leadership Council found that the
educational systems in place are inad­
equate for the 15,700 more nurses that
the state will need in the next 15 years.
Campbell has helped organize re­
cruitm ent campaigns for minority and
male populations. The slogan for men,
“Are you man enough to be nurse?”
has successfully increased the pro­
portion o f male nurses in Oregon to 14
percent, more than twice the national
average.
The "Caring knows no boundaries"
campaign targeting people o f color,
however, has disappointed Campbell
by not keeping up with the increasing
proportion of m inorities in the state.
At Concordia, the three nursing
graduates o f color out of 24 do not
reflect Portland's minority population,
let alone the more diverse population
o f its northeast neighborhood.
The director o f Concordia s nurs­
ing school, Joyce Zerwekh, laments
the fact that just two blacks from
Africa have applied to her program.
By reaching out to organizations
like Salvation Army, Dignity Village
and the Rosemary Anderson High
Sch(K)i. Zerwekh hopes to attract more
diversity to the historically white. Chris­
tian college.
“W e start out with this image o f a
little Germ an-Lutheran enclave, and
now it’s like, here we are, what can
we do for you?” she says.
The outreach programs have in­
spired many students, Ellen Council
included, to use newly minted nursing
skills to serve vulnerable segm ents of
society. Council was nevertheless dis­
appointed that there were no African
Am ericans in her graduating class.
To get more minority representa­
tion, Zerwekh is willing to overlook
her applicants’ academic mishaps to
some degree.
“I’m looking for who these people
are as human beings and not just
grades, and someday I hope that will
bring me leaders from the black, lo­
cally grown com m unity,” she says.
■BHHHHHBHHHnHMMHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRHHHMHMI
IM M M IR M M
PCC Boosts Diversity in Trades
Pre-apprenticeship classes give boost
Pre-apprentice
students tour train-
¡ng centers and job
sites, like this PGE
line worker's site, to
learn about working
conditions in the
trades.
tuition for approved applicants.
The Joint A pprenticeship Training Council, a
collection of statewide apprenticeship programs,
The PCC Skill Center, lo­
has approved Portland Com m unity C ollege’s
cated at the Cascade C am ­
new pre-apprenticeship class. Trade Extension
pus, 705 N. Killingsworth St.,
will bring potential applicants
9000.
PCC graduates now have the same direct-
to a minimum educational level
entry approval to get into an apprenticeship
to m eet all apprenticeship
p ro g ra m
as
P o rtla n d
m inim um s ta n ­
Y o u th B u ild e rs ,
O re g o n
Some programs
dards for educa­
T ra d e s w o m e n , and th e
will allow graduates tion. A contract
with O D O T calls for PCC to de­
Evening Trade A pprentice­
ship Preparation program run to apply almost
liver 50 people ready to apply for
apprenticeship slots.
by the Housing Authority o f
immediately fo r
PCC Cascade was chosen be­
Portland.
Some program s will allow apprenticeship slots
cause o f its location to a diverse
graduates to apply alm ost im ­ rather than wait.
workforce. The objective is to re­
m ediately for apprenticeship
cruit candidates from the local area
slots rather than wait for the
with an em phasis on minorities and
few times a year when apprentice programs
females. However, the TE 9000 class is avail­
host their open application periods.
able to anyone who wishes to attend.
The class will use a $ 15(),(MX) contract from
For more inform ation, call Dwight Page at
the Oregon Departm ent o f Transportation to
5 0 3 -9 7 8 -5 6 5 7 (d w ig h t.p a g e @ p c c .e d u ) or
encourage more wom en and m inorities to enter
K a trin a
C lo u d
at
5 0 3 -9 7 8 -5 6 5 1
the trades. The funding will go toward paying
(kcloud@ pcc.edu).
Construction
Apprenticeships at
South W aterfront
Wednesday, June 6 /1 2 - 6 PM
MHCC Summer Jump Start
Registration is open for Sum ­
m er Fastpass classes at Mt.
Hood C om m unity College giv­
ing students ajum p start on their
careers by developing their skills
and knowledge in a variety o f
college credit classes, such as
business m anagem ent and ad-
ministration, computer inform a­
tion systems, retai I or office man­
agement, integrated media and
welding.
In addition, a Bundle Your Ba­
sics offering provides an opportu­
nity for students to take care of
their general education classes.
S um m er F astp ass classe s
begin June 25 and are available
morning, afternoon, evening or
online. New students can con­
tact the Academic Advising and
T ransfer C enter at 5 0 3 -4 9 1 -
7 3 15. C ontinuing students can
register online.
Summer Fastpass to
your college degree!
Get the classes you need at the times you need to take
them at Mt. Hood Community College this summer!
We are actively looking for men and women
interested in starting a construction career.
No experience necessary.
Complete general education classes
or program classes that go toward
your degree through the
Summer Fastpass program.
You’ll enjoy affordable tuition
and get the credits
i
you need.
Sponsored by:
L__ J Hoffman .
Construction
F 1 Company
Be Your Dream and sign up
for your Summer Fastpass.
Classes start June 25.
www.hoffmancorp.com
a
M r H o o d
(IM M U N IT Y
< O I I FCF
rHSTrnSS
UJUIUI.mHCC.EDU / FflSTPRSS
Operating Engineer Training Center
Cement Masons Training Center
Willamette Carpenters framing Center
Laborers Union
Job Corps
Oregon Tradeswomen
Portland Youth Builders
At the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (0AME)
4134 N. Vancouver Ave. at Skidmore. Come by anytime. No çost to participate.