It’s proposed to be much more than just a new nursing school, but the added space from a new allied health facility would allow East Mississippi Community College to reach even more nursing students, as well as offer higher levels of study.

Monday the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors agreed to help fund construction of an allied health facility — on donated land near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport — to also include a nursing school, pending participation from four other counties. 

Now seeking state approval for a new associate degree nursing program, EMCC currently is meeting a demand for nurses through its licensed practical nursing program, located on its Mayhew campus.

“There’s a shortage of nurses and people in health care; the shortage is nationwide and cyclical in areas,” explained EMCC President Dr. Rick Young. “The good thing about the program we’re doing is our students will graduate in December and enter the job market as opposed to traditional programs that graduate students in May. There’s an ongoing demand for nurses internationally and concerns have been voiced about having employees available only in the spring. Our objective is to meet that need mid-year, rather than in May.”

“Nationwide, there’s been a shortage of all kinds of health care providers,” agreed Pat Clowers, Allied Health director and head of the LPN program at EMCC. “We have a good program. Our nurses, every year so far, have gotten jobs. The majority of them stay in this area.” 

Many of them also go on to further course work at Mississippi University for Women, said Young.

“Associate nursing and practical nursing are some of the most rigorous in any community college curriculum,” he explained. “They always have been. Our encouragement is for parallel programs. We emphasize lifelong learning and we’re the first step for many people. We strongly encourage our students to go on to the next level and we prefer MUW for our nurses.”

“Also, to meet the demand for registered nurses, we’ve been trying to get a (Registered Nurse) program started for several years,” Clowers added. 

The next step

 In October, the Institute of Higher Learning approved EMCC to move into the second stage of obtaining an associate degree nursing program, which is developing curriculum and hiring relevant staff.

“Hopefully, this fall, we’ll receive permission from IHL to admit students and we can start our program in January, if we get that approval,” Clowers said.

Approval to admit associate degree program nursing students rests solely with the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, which is expected to decide during EMCC’s upcoming fall semester. 

Graduates of the program receive the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree, which meets requirements needed to apply for a licensure examination to be a Registered Nurse. 

Admission into EMCC’s existing LPN program is highly competitive, as admission into the anticipated associate degree program is expected to be. 

“We always have more people apply for slots than what we have available,” Clowers said. “This year, we’re taking 30 students. We had about 75 apply, that were qualified. We will have about 30 students graduating in December, so we’ll have total enrollment of around 60.” 

“Health care is just a popular area,” said Young. “Anywhere you go, you will find some kind of health care facility, so the job availability is there. The opportunities are not only local, they’re also national. 

“Ideally, a student would finish the practical nursing program, then the associate degree program then go to MUW (for higher levels),” Young added. “You’ve got the whole thing right here. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the people in the area. We hope to enhance MUW’s enrollment in the future, with graduates from this program.”

Serving the community

To be located on five acres on Airport Road, the proposed 50,000-square-foot to 70,000-square-foot allied health facility would meet the needs of industries located in Lowndes County, as well as attract those considering a location. 

“It would serve the industrial community, as well as the community at large,” Young said, noting the facility would also include space for child-care facilities. “That will make us more attractive to industries looking to locate here and make it a better place, help us to better serve our industries that are out there and keep them.”

The associate degree nursing program will be located in the new facility and “others will follow,” Young added.

“We’re out of space at EMCC,” he concluded. 

“I’m excited,” Clowers said of the proposed facility. “Who wouldn’t want a brand-new facility? We have a great lab and classrooms right now. However, our problem is we’re running out of space and we have to limit the people we can have, because we’re running out of space.” 

The Lowndes County supervisors unanimously voted to pay up to $525,000, likely over the next 20 years, to fund the EMCC project, which, once completed, will allow the college to handle classes of nearly 100 students. 

The supervisors support is contingent on the agreed participation of Clay, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Kemper counties; after four of the involved counties pledge support for the project, EMCC officials will draw out plans outlining the location and specifications of the proposed facility, expected to cost between $10 million and $20 million. 

Clay County was the “first county to step forward” and commit the equivalent of one mill to help fund the project, Young noted. 

Oktibbeha, Noxubee and Kemper counties have yet to commit.