Marsha Roberson, RHORC Director, Santa Barbara City College,
roberson@sbcc.edu
Linda Zorn, RHORC Director, Butte College,
zornli@butte.cc.ca.us
Target population:
The target audience is all students enrolled in or interested in an
allied health program but particularly those students who are
entering into a registered nursing program. However, the
program is aimed at faculty, guidance counselors, career counselors,
tutors and support staff to allied health students.
Goals:
The goal of the program is to enhance and support the efforts made
by community college allied health program directors to recruitment
and retain students in allied health programs.
Description:
A recent study illuminated a problem with recruitment and retention
in nursing programs. The study showed a high attrition level. As a
result of this the Regional Health Occupations Research Center
(RHORC) developed a set of CDs on Strategies for Student Success in
Health Occupations. The CDs include 1) a Model curriculum and 2)
Resources for Health Occupations Programs. The first CD,
Resources for HO Programs, contains recruitment techniques, ways
to better prepare students, and retention strategies.
On the second CD, Success in HO: A Model Curriculum, there is
a module on an introduction to health care careers, a module on
maximizing learning, a module on assessing critical math and English
skills, and others. The Kit is available at no cost to all allied
health programs, and has been distributed to all allied health
programs in California’s community colleges and at area hospitals.
Next year RHORC plans to develop a CD on faculty recruitment, the
benefits and drawbacks of a medical career and other issues not
addressed on the first CD.
Staffing:
Mr. James Comins is the RHORC Initiative Director and funded the
project, however, the work was done largely by RHORC Directors
Marsha Roberson of Santa Barbara City College, and Linda Zorn of
Butte College, along with Mr. Comins and Barbara Whitney from the
California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Facilities, equipment, materials:
To maximize usage of the CD, the computer running the CD needs to be
a multi-media capable player, however, the CD has a QuickTime
download button that opens automatically if the users computer does
not have it installed.
Costs, funding source:
VTEA
Outreach and marketing:
The CDs are marketed through the RHORC centers, counselors, and
state workforce groups. 1500 CDs have been given out so far. In the
2005-2006 school year, high school counselors’ will be the target
audience.
Evidence of effectiveness:
The evidence of effectiveness will be in the numbers of students who
are recruited into and retained in allied health programs statewide.
Suggestions for replication:
The CD is a ready to go tool-kit and is available free to anyone who
wants it. It is also a model for other high-demand career clusters
that are struggling with recruitment and retention.