Representatives from each of the consortium's members--Summersville Memorial Hospital, Webster County Memorial Hospital, Richwood Area Community Hospital, Camden- on-Gauley Medical Center, Friends-R-Fun Child Development Center, the Nicholas County Health Department, Bluefield State College/Beckley Center, and Glenville State College/Summersville Center--welcomed the students.

While funding from the hospitals, as well as an Indepentently Accredited Community & Technical College grant, are underwriting the initiative this year, the consortium projects that the program will continue for at least three additional years. Network coordinator Louise Reese cites the relevance of the program as one of its strengths. "When the network was created in 1999, members identified the nursing shortage in our area as the most significant issue affecting the delivery of health care in the region," she explained. "The hospitals in the network are willing to provide the resources to encourage students to enter the program, and the nursing programs at Bluefield State and Glenville will provide the educational training."

Reese encouraged individuals interested in learning more about opportunities available through the network to contact any of the participating hospitals' administrators or directors of nursing.


October 3, 2002