ODESSA, Texas —
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s School of Nursing and Midland Health have entered a practice-academic partnership to help tackle the COVID-19 nursing shortage.
The partnership will allow fourth-semester nursing students in the MMH Nursing Intern Program to work with nurses during their precepted clinical hours, which are necessary to graduate. This also provides relief to current nurses dealing with staffing challenges.
Additionally, UTPB nursing students will have a chance to gain more experience through hands-on learning.
UTPB President Sandra Woodley said the partnership is a game changer.
“It's a wonderful opportunity to partner with Midland Health and to provide these experiential learning opportunities for our students,” Woodley said. “For the first time they're able to be paid for that experience, which we think is transformative.”
Nursing students already in the MMH Nursing Intern Program were chosen as the pilot group for this partnership. Those students have already committed to being nurses at Midland Health after they graduate.
This pilot program will run through spring 2022, with both partners looking to extend if allowed.