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Glendale Community College in Glendale, California is helping to fill a shortage of critical care nurses in the state through a Strong Workforce Program grant. The grant was created in 2016 after the state set aside $248 million to allow community colleges to launch career technical education (CTE) courses to help fill specialized nursing shortages.

Thanks to the Strong Workforce Program grant, Glendale Community College’s nursing department is conducting a coveted critical care course for eight weeks this summer that has drawn attention throughout the state.

Glendale nursing division chair Emelyn Judge pushed for the Strong Workforce Program grant, receiving $800,000 for Glendale Community College to develop CTE classes. The college secured a portion of that funding to develop a specialized critical care class open to licensed registered nurses. Participants pay $275 for the class and books but have that fee reimbursed upon successful completion of the course.

Nurses can also earn electrocardiogram certification and earn 60 hours of continuing education credit through courses offered at Glendale Community College. The California Board of Registered Nursing requires 30 hours of continuing education every two years for nursing license and certificate renewal.

Judge has a long-term goal of getting the critical care course approved as a credit course, but in the meantime the college will continue to conduct the program in the summer. To learn more about how Glendale Community College is helping to fill the critical care gap in California, visit here.

Christina Morgan
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