CINCINNATI — Students in the University of Cincinnati's College of Nursing aren't just studying medicine — they're practicing it.
Thomas Snyder is enrolled in the 18-month accelerated Master's of Nursing program. A former Army flight critical care paramedic, Snyder comes from a family deeply rooted in health care.
"I've flown with nurses for 17 years now, and my mother was a nurse, my grandmother was a nurse for 45 years, so it was either that or construction," Snyder said.
WATCH: How the program is training the next generation of nurses
As hospitals across the country face a national nursing shortage, schools like UC are working to meet the demand.
"The pandemic just kind of heightened what we already have projected, which was the increasing in retirement of the nurses in the workforce," said Dr. Donna Green, associate dean of undergraduate and prelicensure programs at UC College of Nursing.
Green received more than $193,000 in grant money for the UC N.E.X.T: Nursing Education Expansion through Experiential Training from the Ohio Board of Nursing.
She said the job placement rate is near 100% when students graduate.
"I think one of the most important things is that the new graduates understand that there are options out there, they can really find where they feel that they fit best," said Dr. Lindsay Davis, assistant dean of APRN Curriculum at UC College of Nursing.
At the same time, TriHealth is actively working to fill those roles, bringing more nurses into hospitals and clinics across the region. Kristy Shultz and Lyz Koester, both with TriHealth's Talent Acquisition team, say education and support are what make their hospitals stand out.
"Having the ambassador program that we offer to all of our new nurses coming in and even our experienced nurses," Shultz said.
TriHealth is also looking to hire nurses at all experience levels.
"Possibly hiring on the spot, so anywhere from if you are just starting your nursing career to if you're an experienced nurse," Koester said.
For students at UC, it's more than just a job.
"I love the fact that nursing is so diverse," said Amari Winchester, a sophomore at UC's College of Nursing.
Winchester said he is looking forward to learning more about nursing in the program.
