Newswise — As part of a growing partnership between Southern University System and Ochsner Health, Ochsner is providing up to $2 million in tuition assistance for students with the Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) School of Nursing who qualify for the Ochsner Nurse Scholars program. The funding will provide more students opportunities to pursue meaningful careers in healthcare over the next 10 years and further SUNO’s mission to serve the educational needs of the Greater New Orleans metropolitan population.
Through the Ochsner Nurse Scholars program, Ochsner and SUNO are working together to address Louisiana’s critical workforce needs while providing local graduates opportunities to pursue high-wage careers in healthcare. The Ochsner Nurse Scholars funding comes as the Southern University at New Orleans School of Nursing announces expansion plans with a new facility that will allow SUNO to more than double their number of nursing graduates.
“The main goal of our nursing program is to increase the number of diverse nurses in the healthcare workforce,” said Dr. James H. Ammons, Jr., PhD, Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans. “The COVID-19 pandemic placed considerable stress on healthcare systems across the country. Southern University School of Nursing will play an important role in producing well-trained nursing professionals. This substantial investment and partnership with Ochsner will ensure that SUNO is amongst the key players providing the next generation of nursing professionals for the City of New Orleans.”
The SUNO Nursing Program is currently housed in the university’s Natural Sciences Building, with a capacity for about 30 students. SUNO aims to expand capacity and increase enrollment by constructing a facility to accommodate up to 100 pre-nursing and nursing students each year. The new building will provide state-of-the-art resources, enhance the quality of nursing education and better prepare students for their future roles in healthcare. Designs include new clinical and simulation lab spaces, a lecture hall, library, student study rooms and much more.
Ochsner Nurse Scholars is a key program for growing the nursing workforce in Louisiana, through financial support and also because it provides access to training, mentoring and coaching to help prepare new nurses for their careers. Aspiring nurses selected for Ochsner Nurse Scholars receive tuition assistance to earn their nursing degree in exchange for a commitment to serve their communities through employment with Ochsner Health following graduation. Over the next decade, Ochsner and SUNO will be able to serve up to 15 students annually through the Ochsner Nurse Scholars partnership.
Investments in programs like these are critical, as healthcare workforce challenges continue. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the United States will have about 194,500 openings for registered nurses each year, on average, through 2033. Locally, the Louisiana Board of Regents estimates that Louisiana will need to fill a shortage of approximately 6,000 registered nurses by 2030, or more than 40% of the current nursing workforce.
“Nurses are the heart of the healthcare experience. By partnering with Southern University at New Orleans through our Ochsner Nurse Scholars program, we are working together to reduce financial barriers and make nursing an accessible career path for more students,” said Tracey Schiro, Executive Vice President, Chief People and Culture Officer, Ochsner Health. “Robust partnerships like these align with Ochsner’s vision of inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities, as we train healthcare workers who commit to pursuing their careers here in Louisiana and the Gulf South.”
The Southern University and A&M College System, the only historically Black university system in the U.S., has enrollment of about 12,000 students with locations in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport. SUNO’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program began in 2022 with the mission of training new nursing professionals to fill a crucial need in local communities, with a focus on collaborative healthcare. In recent years the system has deepened partnerships with Ochsner, a community partner also committed to education and to ensuring high-quality healthcare is accessible to everyone. Ochsner supports several tuition and workforce programs like MA to LPN, surgical tech, lab tech and LPN to RN training programs throughout the Gulf South.
“Our partnership with Southern University at New Orleans is another step forward for the nursing profession as we work together to train and prepare new nurses for their careers,” said Tiffany Murdock, BSN, MSN, MBA, DNP, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, Ochsner Health. “We are looking forward to welcoming future SUNO nurses as we foster their confidence, help them live their purpose as nurses and strengthen the nursing voice in the workforce.”
About a dozen Ochsner Nurse Scholars are currently enrolled at SUNO, and Ochsner offers clinical rotations for SUNO students at facilities throughout the Greater New Orleans area. Last year, Ochsner administered $2 million from the Louisiana Department of Health to the Southern University School of Nursing in Baton Rouge to expand student enrollment, enhance training and laboratory programs, and expand job placement services for students. In 2022, Ochsner Health and SUNO also partnered to open a new health center at the University Center that serves students, faculty, and staff on campus.
For more information about Southern University at New Orleans School of Nursing, visit https://www.suno.edu/page/schoolofnursing. For more information about Ochsner Nurse Scholars, visit https://www.ochsner.org/ochsnerscholars.
About Southern University at New Orleans
Our Mission: Southern University at New Orleans, a public, historically black university, empowers and promotes the upward mobility of diverse populations of traditional and nontraditional students through quality academic programs, teaching, research, and service to achieve excellence in higher education using various teaching and learning modalities.
Our Vision: Southern University at New Orleans is a premier, cutting-edge institution that endeavors to advance the educational standing of students by preparing them to participate in and contribute to a global society and workforce development with the necessary skills, knowledge and dispositions to improve their life-long learning skills, and contributions to society through a TEAM (Togetherness Empowers all Mechanisms).
About Ochsner Health
Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 13 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s has been recognized as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for four consecutive years. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and connection not found anywhere else in the region. In 2023, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.5 million people from every state in the nation and 65 countries. Ochsner’s workforce includes more than 38,000 dedicated team members and over 4,700 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.
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