Quinnipiac University’s School of Nursing is joining local institutions in a partnership with Yale New Haven Health to combat the shortage of health care workers and faculty to instruct nursing students, promising more than 500 nurses.  

“COVID may have challenged us, frustrated us and even at times stymied us, but the silver lining has been the lesson of agility and embracing change,” YNHH Chief Nursing Officer Beth Beckman said. “The COVID experience has propelled legacy partners like us to identify opportunities, dream big and execute on these dreams.” 

YNHH will distribute a total of roughly $1.7 million in scholarships and books to all enrolled students over the next four years. The first cohort has been admitted for the fall 2022 semester. Within the span of four years, Quinnipiac, Fairfield University, Gateway Community College and Southern Connecticut State University anticipate graduating at least 557 nurses. 

This accelerated program will be offered to students with bachelor degrees looking to switch career paths into nursing within a one year. 

Dean of the School of Nursing Lisa O’Connor said the program’s objectives are to create an  accessible and high-quality environment for students, establish a student-centered nursing collaboration and offer job opportunities within their health care system. The program will be working with diversity, equity and inclusion candidates with financial opportunities and support to enter the field of nursing, O’Connor said.  

“There is room at the table for everybody, but this is also about a diverse nursing workforce and the scholarship piece which really helps students come to Quinnipiac if they didn’t have that financial need,” O’Connor said. 

O’Connor said that YNHH’s financial contributions will additionally help the School of Nursing fund lab supplies and equipment, hire more full-time nursing faculty and provide student scholarship opportunities. She said this partnership will provide a smooth pathway into an entry-level nursing job, “making nursing school a reality when before it wasn’t a possibility.” 

“Across the nation, the staffing shortage is a critical, essential problem for all of us to solve,” Beckman said. “No one has perfect answers for this, expanding the pipeline is one.”