Western Graduate Featured on CPTV Workforce Series

The third episode of work. learn. live. (Connecticut) will examine the workforce readiness of the health care industry in Connecticut.

By 2010, Connecticut will need an additional 6,180 nurses for new positions and to fill retirement vacancies.

To help ease this shortage, Western, Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) and UConn have an innovative agreement that streamlines the way nursing students who graduate with their associate's degree can transfer to Western to earn their bachelor’s then advance to UConn to earn their master’s. This agreement, called the Nursing Pathways Collaborative, is endorsed by Waterbury-area hospitals and healthcare providers.

As the RN-to BSN bachelor’s completion program is located in Waterbury, many of the students are local residents who in turn stay in the area after graduating.

The episode will feature Ellen Durnin, PhD, dean of graduate studies and external programs at Western. Dr. Durnin was a leader in the development of the Nursing Pathways Collaborative and has been a vital part of the articulation’s success. The episode will also include Western graduate Jennifer Kusaila, RN, a nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital. At Western, Jennifer was a class representative and the Greater Waterbury Nursing Consortium "Nurses Lead the Way" honoree.

This segment will also discuss other shortages the health care industry faces. Viewers will learn what the state of Connecticut, as well as local colleges and universities, are doing to meet the need of this growing field.

• To learn more about the CPTV series, click here.
  
• To learn about other CSUS graduates featured in the work. learn. live (Connecticut) program, click here.