Palomar College Proposes Expanding Nurse Training Program
Palomar College in San Marcos last week presented a proposal to the Palomar Community College District Board to create a weekend and evening nurse training program, the North County Times reports. The program would enroll 20 additional nurses annually beginning in the fall of 2006.
About 70 students per year graduate from the Palomar nursing program, and there are 400 people on the waiting list, according to Sara Thompson, dean of health sciences at the college. Thompson said the school plans to offer classes at night and clinical training during weekends to avoid space constraints affiliated with increased enrollment.
The college also would need to hire nine additional faculty members, but Palomar would not need to build any new facilities to operate the program.
Funding sources for the plan, which is estimated to cost about $400,000 annually, have not been determined, but officials are looking for outside funding and grants.
Lorie Shoemaker, chief nurse executive of the Palomar Pomerado Health district, said the health district has been working closely with the college to secure possible grants.
According to Palomar President Robert Deegan, educating one nursing student costs $12,000 a year (Sterrett, North County Times, 7/13).