- According to Health Resources and Services, Administration Georgia is expected to experience the highest nursing shortage rate by 2036.
- ABAC started offering night courses to increase enrollment to address the current nursing shortage.
- Watch the story to hear how this break from a traditional schedule is helping nursing hopefuls ill a need.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Georgia reportedly has some of the worst nursing shortage rates nationwide.
"How we could help meet the demand of the nursing shortage,” said Brandy Howard, the assistant professor of nursing for ABAC Bainbridge.
WTXL reporter AJ Douglas was in Bainbridge where a local college decided to go beyond tradition by offering nursing classes at night.
"I'm an M.A. I work for Magnolia Women's Center here in Bainbridge and I've been there for 13 years,” said Holly Barwick, a student in the night nursing program offered at ABAC.
Barwick decided to stay in her hometown and give back by caring for others in the neighborhood.
Barwick said she's always aspired to become a registered nurse but due to class only being scheduled during the day she believed her dream to be out of reach.
"At the time I just needed to do something quick so I became an M.A. [medical assistant],” said Barwick,
Agencies like the federal Health Resources Service Administration, report Georgia having more than 20% fewer registered nurses than it needs.
Just to give you an idea, for every 100,000 neighbors in Georgia there are 1,329 licensed nurses.
Experts are attributing long hours and harsh work conditions to the nationwide nursing shortage.
Changing how institutions train the next generation of nurses is on the list of ways to boost the number of nurses entering the field.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College began offering night nursing classes back in January.
"I'm still able to have an income while going to school and furthering my education,” according to Barwick.
ABAC Bainbridge is offering an introduction to nursing course which covers the fundamentals, basic patient care, health assessment courses, and hands-on patient care during clinicals.
"The qualifications for this program are the same as the traditional day program. They've got to maintain that GPA and get their prerequisites done,” assistant professor of nursing, for ABAC Bainbridge, Celesta Boyd.
Multiple students relocated to attend night classes because of the limited availability of night nursing courses in South Georgia.
"We've had two to relocate,” said Howard.
This is a bi-annual course dedicated to non-traditional students. That means the next night nursing course won't begin until Spring 2027.
