A Lifeline in the Nursing Drought: How Collaboration between Canyon Vista Medical Center and Cochise College Saves Lives
April 8, 2024
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry faced an unprecedented challenge: a nursing shortage. Typically, such labor shortages of all types are felt more in rural areas like ours. Many healthcare facilities are struggling to keep their doors open during an exodus of nursing staff; however, the symbiotic relationship between Canyon Vista Medical Center (CVMC) and Cochise College has bucked this trend.
Academics is the cornerstone of healthcare resilience. By investing in the education of nurses, physicians, technologists, and other healthcare professionals, institutions like Cochise College not only cultivate competent caregivers but also nurture a pipeline of talent crucial for the betterment of our communities. It comes as no surprise, that a staggering 85% of CVMC's nurses received their foundational education from Cochise College, shining a light on the pivotal role the institution plays in shaping the healthcare landscape of Southern Arizona.
CVMC is proud to have partnerships with many educational institutions across the state, however, Cochise College and its nursing program (currently residing in the old Sierra Vista Regional hospital building) is, by far, our largest and most crucial educational partner. The relationship between CVMC and Cochise College is rooted in a shared commitment to healthcare excellence and community welfare.
Our organizations’ strong relationship and ongoing collaboration becomes even more important when viewed against the backdrop of a national nursing crisis. A new study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Vital Signs - Quality of Work life Survey, US 2018-2022) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nurse burnout is on the rise, with significantly more nurses and other healthcare workers reporting burnout in 2022 compared with 2018. According to the Nurse Journal, Arizona finds itself among the top ten states struggling with a severe nursing shortage (7.61 nurses per 1,000 population), further highlighting the urgency of initiatives aimed at bolstering the nursing workforce. With such shortages, it is hard to have steady staffing to allow for new nurse training and orientation.
Currently, CVMC has a 10% vacancy rate across its nursing areas and utilizes travel staff at similar levels as before the COVID pandemic, which is significantly lower than our industry peers. By developing unique programs like our RN residency program, CVMC adds more resources to first-year graduate nurses as well. Cosette Britton, CNO at CVMC says that this program helps connect to and enrich the experience of new nurses, resulting over a 90% retention rate of first-year nurses within the program, far exceeding national norms.
With such low vacancy rates, less dependence on contract labor, and increased retention of new nurses, CVMC is better positioned than most to help train nursing students; however Cochise College helps there, as well. Cochise College provides trained nursing instructors to oversee student nurses at CVMC, helping to make nurse education more consistent and less reliant on the teaching time of frontline clinicians. In May 2023, Cochise College awarded 1987 credentials to its graduates. Of those, nearly 10% were in the health sciences. Continuing its mission to provide accessible educational opportunities, Cochise College is awaiting approval from its accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, to expand its programs to offer a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program, allowing local registered nurses the opportunity to advance their careers locally. Once approved, the college intends to start registering students in this program this fall. Also, due to equipment sharing and co-planning of educational curriculum, students learn on similar systems and equipment used by CVMC and other area hospitals in the classroom before their clinical rotations.
In the face of such overwhelming challenges, the partnership between CVMC and Cochise College shines as a beacon of hope. By nurturing graduating classes of skilled nursing professionals, Cochise College not only addresses the immediate staffing needs of healthcare facilities like CVMC but also lays the foundation for a resilient healthcare ecosystem capable of weathering future dry spells.
It is through collaborations and workforce pipeline programs, that we not only safeguard the health and well-being of our communities but also pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future.