New Jersey Launches High School to Bachelor Degree Program To Address Nursing Shortage

Monmouth County Vocational School District, Brookdale Community College, Kean University, and Monmouth Medical Center teamed up last week. Together they started a program that takes students straight from high school to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Fifteen students showed up Wednesday for the first day of the Nursing Bridge to Excellence Program at the MCVSD Tinton Falls campus.

New Jersey will need more than 24,000 nurses by 2036. That's the fourth biggest shortage in the country, says the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. This new program wants to train enough nurses to fill that hole.

Kids in the Health Occupations and Nursing Shared-Time program at MCVSD rack up 12 college credits before they finish high school. They spend the summer after graduation taking anatomy and physiology. Then they arrive at Brookdale with 15 credits already done for an Associate Degree in Nursing.

Once they get their ADN, they head to Kean University for their BSN. The program guarantees admission at each stage, so students don't have to apply over and over to different schools.

"This program reflects the important role our county vocational-technical schools play in developing local partnerships that help engage and educate students to meet regional workforce demands," said Charles R. Ford Jr., Ed.D., superintendent of MCVSD, per Brookdale's website, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "We are proud to help high school students interested in careers in healthcare get a jumpstart on their futures with a clear, affordable pathway."

Starting at Brookdale costs way less than one year at most private colleges. Students pay that reduced rate for their entire BSN. Smaller classes and one-on-one teaching make it easier to get in and stay in.

"This is what strategic planning and long-term vision look like," said Thomas A. Arnone, director of the Monmouth County Commissioners. "By bringing together our top-ranked schools, colleges, and partners like Monmouth Medical Center, we're not just meeting today's needs, we're building the healthcare workforce of tomorrow."

A second agreement lets 20 high school juniors start nursing classes right away. They graduate with Clinical Technician and Certified Nursing Assistant credentials. After finishing prerequisites, they can apply for the Registered Nurse program at Brookdale.

Monmouth Medical Center plans to give $120,000 each year to the Brookdale Community College Foundation starting in Fall 2025. The money goes to scholarships. Students must attend full time in the Nursing Pathways Program and agree to work part-time at the medical center while in school, then full time for at least two years after they finish.

"We are grateful to Dr. Stout and Brookdale for giving us the opportunity to participate in this program," said Eric Carney, president and CEO of Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. "We immediately recognized the value of creating a pathway that supports students who may not have the traditional academic journey but have every bit of the drive to serve their communities."

The program provides students with advisors, mentors, and a map showing exactly where they're going. This kind of help should keep more students from dropping out.