Wenatchee Valley College nursing program receives $2.9M federal grant

Wenatchee Valley College has received a $2.9 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand and enhance its nursing program over the next four years. The funding is part of the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention Workforce Expansion Program and aims to address the growing nurse shortage in North Central Washington. 

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The grant will support training for students and clinical faculty in the associate degree in nursing program across acute and long-term care settings. It also funds scholarships, faculty positions, retention support, and state-of-the-art simulation equipment, including high-fidelity manikins (mannequins that mimic human anatomy and physiology, providing realistic tactile feedback and displaying various symptoms) and electronic medical record software for realistic clinical practice. 

Students can receive scholarships of up to $12,000, with a total of $840,000 allocated for tuition, books, and other expenses. The funding will also cover a retention specialist and additional faculty to lead classroom and clinical instruction, as well as professional development for existing faculty. 

HRSA programs support healthcare access for isolated and vulnerable populations, advance telehealth, and train health professionals in areas where they are most needed. Nationwide, HRSA projects a 10 percent shortage of registered nurses by 2027, with Washington state among the top ten states expected to face the greatest shortages.