Columbus Community Hospital is committed to supporting those who are passionate about health care, which is why we began the Registered Nurse Apprenticeship Program in 2022. However, now that CCH has the opportunity to receive some state funding, it will rebrand the program to be called the CCH Student Nurse Internship.
According to the Nebraska Center for Nursing, Nebraska will experience a workforce shortage of 5,435 nurses by 2025. Seventy-three of Nebraska’s 93 counties have less than the national average ratio of registered nurses to patients. Sixty-six of Nebraska’s counties have been deemed medically underserved, and nine counties in Nebraska have no registered nurses.
Recruitment and retention of health professionals has long been a persistent challenge for rural providers. The nursing shortage is representative of a larger shortage of health professionals. The CCH Student Nurse Internship exposes students to all the various and unique health professions throughout Nebraska. Nebraska Legislative Bill 227 provides funding for hospitals and health care systems to promote and recruit individuals to the profession of nursing.
